NO CHRISTMAS TRUCE Vice President Jejomar Binay faces another plunder case. JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines–The complainants have no respect for Christmas. “They have even given political color to the sanctity of ‘Simbang Gabi.’”
Vice President Jejomar Binay was responding to the second complaint of plunder and graft filed against him and his son, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, this time for the alleged overpriced construction of what the complainant called “the priciest high school building” in the country.
The Simbang Gabi or dawn Masses started Tuesday to observe the 9-day novena in the runup to Christmas Day.
In an 11-page complaint lodged Tuesday, lawyer Renato Bondal and members of a group of anticorruption advocates urged the Office of the Ombudsman to charge the father and son criminally for allegedly conspiring to defraud the government of Makati City of P862 million in the construction of the 10-story Makati Science High School.
Bondal claimed the overpricing happened when the Vice President was still the mayor of Makati and when his son held the post from 2007 to 2013.
The project was built at a cost of P1.3 billion when the original estimated cost was only P470 million, according to the complaint.
Also named respondents were former and incumbent Councilors Ferdinand Eusebio, Arnold Magpantay, Romeo Medina, Tosca Puno-Ramos, Alethea Casal-Uy, Virgilio Hilario, Monsour del Rosario III, Vince Sese, Nelson Pasia, Salvador Pangilinan, Elias Tolentino, Ruth Tolentino, Henry Jacome, Leo Magpantay, Nemesio Yabut Jr., Armand Padilla, Israel Cruzado, Ma. Theresa de Lara, Angelito Gatchalian and Ricardo Javier, along with members of the Makati City School Board in 2009.
Also named respondents were Commission on Audit (COA) resident auditor Ma. Cecilia Caga-anan, the then members of the bids and awards committee, and the officers of Hilmarcs Construction Corp. (HCC), led by engineer Efren M. Canlas.
‘No ounce of respect’
In a statement he read to reporters, the Vice President said he was ready to face the Ombudsman to respond to the “lies” against him.
Binay also griped about how his political foes did not even respect the Christmas season when they filed the case against him.
“I am just saddened that they did not give the Christmas season even an ounce of respect,” he said.
“To those who filed the complaint and their backers, I say, I will answer all your lies before the Ombudsman,” the Vice President said. “Let us face each other before the eyes of the law. I will go through the right process.”
Binay said that from 2007 to 2013, “there was not one question or finding of irregularity in the projects” his accusers mentioned.
But since the start of this year, the projects had undergone “a special audit, special findings and others,” he noted.
“I am used to life’s challenges. And even if they are not fair or just, I do not back down,” Binay said. “Let us all go through the process—so that the people may see who is really telling the truth.”
Bondal was also among the complainants in the first plunder case his group filed in the Ombudsman in August this year in connection with the alleged overpriced Makati parking building, which was also investigated by the Senate blue ribbon committee.
That first case is still to be resolved.
In his new complaint, Bondal said the building of City Hall by HCC was “implemented using the same modus operandi employed in the construction of the overpriced Makati parking building.”
The project was chopped up into six phases and a simulated bidding for each phase was conducted, Bondal alleged.
Bondal said he filed the second plunder case against the Binays after COA Chair Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan herself expressed surprise over the staggering cost of the building.