The lawyer of former vice president Jejomar Binay is confident the case filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the P1.3-billion Makati City Science High School will be dismissed.”©
Daniel Subido said the Ombudsman’s claim of the existence of a conspiracy involving the former vice president, his son, former Makati City mayor Junjun Binay, and several others was mere speculation. “©
“The Ombudsman’s case against VP Binay hinges on a mere speculation of ‘conspiracy’,” Subido said in statement.”©
“©He said the Ombudsman could not even specify the acts that would prove the existence of the alleged conspiracy.
“©“It is only a matter of time for the case to be dismissed because the Ombudsman cannot even point out the ‘overt act’ that can be attributable to the vice president that would support its theory of conspiracy,” Subido said.”©
He said Binay “©“looks forward to the trial to put this matter to rest.”
The Sandiganbayan on Monday dismissed Binay’s motion to dismiss the complaints filed by the Ombudsman, saying the issues raised in the motion should be presented in a trial.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales had ordered the filing of multiple counts of graft and falsification charges against the Binays for allegedly conspiring to rig the procurement processes of the school building along Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City.
The Makati Science Building project for a 10-story building with a four-story dormitory was completed merely as a 10-story building, the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman charged the two Binays with four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and three counts of falsification of public documents, respectively.
Binay Sr. said his case does not constitute graft and falsification of public documents. He said he could not be held liable for any ‘irregularities’ in the procurement process as he merely performed his function as then-mayor of Makati City.
He also disputed the alleged conspiracy between him and the members of the Bids and Awards Committee who favored Hilmarc’s Construction for the project.
The young Binay raised the same argument.