© Provided by GMA News Online l MARK D. MERUEÑAS
A day after Secretary Leila de Lima indicated that the Department of Justice is becoming interested in the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II controversy, she said she would meet with the whistleblowers first before making her final decision.
"I will secure more information from them to help us in our decision whether or not itutuloy na namin ang pag-iimbestiga ng National Bureau of Investigation," De Lima told reporters in Manila on Friday. The NBI is DOJ's investigation arm.
She said she would personally sit down with the whistleblowers next week to find out other details, especially those that were not yet revealed in an ongoing Senate probe on Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family over the alleged overpriced building that was constructed when the VP was still Makati mayor.
De Lima stressed that the NBI can investigate "sensitive issues" on its own, even without a formal complaint being lodged before the bureau.
"Sayang kasi if there are valuable and significant information na hindi ipu-pursue na makatutulong," De Lima said.
She added that whistleblowers' statements should not be ignored because "more often than not ay credible [ang] sinasabi nila."
However, De Lima said the NBI would be "careful" in its investigation so it would not be accused of contributing to what the vice president said was a "demolition job against him" in light of his plans to run for president in the 2016 elections.
"Hindi kami nagpapadala sa political considerations. Hindi namin iniisip iyan," De Lima said.
The NBI would initially be helping track down some personalities whom the Senate is having a hard time serving subpoenas, she said.
"I gave the NBI instructions to have a dedicated team to track their whereabouts... Nababanggit na ang Senate magpapatulong, not necessarily sa main issue but doon sa tracking down ng mga na-implicate," she said.
Asked why she seemed more bent on investigating Binay than Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima, De Lima said: "Nag-aalangan ang NBI na makialam sa issue na iyan at the moment."
Besides, De Lima added, the Department of Interior and Local Governments has already said it has formed a group to conduct lifestyle checks on PNP officials.
Whistleblower and former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado earlier presented before the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee photographs and aerial footage of a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas, which he said belongs to the Vice President.
A spokesperson for Binay has already denied reports that the Vice President owns the Batangas property. The senators are looking into allegations of corruption in Makati during Binay's tenure there as mayor.
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