WHAT WENT BEFORE
ON OCT. 12, the Office of the Ombudsman approved the indictment for graft and other criminal charges of Vice President Jejomar Binay, his son, dismissed Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, and 22 others in connection with the alleged anomalies in the construction of the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall Building II.
However, prosecutors would have to wait for Binay’s term as Vice President to end before it could bring the criminal charges against him to the Sandiganbayan since he is an impeachable officer.
The recommendation against the Binays came just three days after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales perpetually barred the younger Binay from holding any public office also due to alleged irregularities in the construction of the 11-story parking building, described as “the most expensive parking building in the entire country.”
Construction of the building started in 2007 when the elder Binay was mayor of Makati and continued through the administration of his son.
In July last year, Save Makati Movement filed plunder and graft charges against the Binays over the reportedly overpriced car park building. The following month, the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee started its own inquiry, which was later expanded to include the allegedly overpriced Makati City Science High School building, reportedly illegally acquired condominium units and an agricultural estate in Batangas province and the purportedly irregular deal between the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), headed by the Vice President, and Alphaland Corp. to develop the BSP’s 1-hectare property in Makati.
In March this year, Junjun Binay was slapped with a six- month preventive suspension order by the Ombudsman in connection with its investigation of Makati City Hall Building II.
After five days, the Court of Appeal issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the mayor’s suspension. For 28 days, the mayor holed up in his office while his supporters kept vigil outside until the appeals court issued a preliminary injunction on April 6 indefinitely extending the TRO and ordering the Ombudsman to respect its ruling.
In May, the Senate subcommittee issued a partial report recommending that plunder and graft charges be brought against the Binays, longtime aides Gerardo Limlingan and Eduviges Baloloy, and several others in connection with the parking building.
On June 29, Junjun Binay received a second six-month suspension order from the Ombudsman, this time in connection with corruption allegations in the construction of the P1.3-billion Makati City Science High School building. He asked for a second TRO, but later stepped aside when this was not granted.