Junjun Binay asks CA to cite Trillanes in contempt of court

THE camp of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay asked the Court of Appeals to cite Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in contempt for accusing two of its justices of receiving P25-million each as bribe to stop implementation of the mayor’s six-month preventive suspension.

In an 11-page petition for contempt, Binay said Trillanes’ accusation has cast aspersion not only on the justices of the appeals court’s 6th division that issued the restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction but also against the entire appeals court.

The petition said Trillanes’ allegations have brought “the authority of the courts and the administration of the law into disrepute.”

“Respondent malicious and baseless utterances and imputations against the Honorable Court and the Justices of the 6th Division of the Honorable Court show that he has blatantly displayed his lack of respect for the Honorable Court and the judicial system as he whimsically and capriciously attacks the integrity and independence of the Honorable Court and its members without any evidence whatsoever, thus, tending to bring the authority of the Court and the administration of law into disrepute,” the petition stated.

“[I]n the face of respondent’s [Trillanes] disrespectful act and unrelenting malicious attacks toward the [CA] and its justices, there is a need for the [CA] to protect and preserve its dignity and independence. It, therefore, behooves the [CA] to cite respondent Trillanes for indirect contempt and mete out the appropriate punishment on him,” Binay’s petition read.

Trillanes said CA justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Francisco Acosta received P20-million in exchange for issuing the restraining order and an additional P5-million for issuing the writ of preliminary injunction. The restraining order is in effect for 60 days but with the issuance of the restraining order, the preventive suspension order cannot be implemented until the appeals court has ruled on the merits of Mayor Binay’s petition that questions the legality of the suspension order.

Both justices already denied the accusations and pleaded to spare the judiciary from political mudslinging.

Atty. F. Arthur “Pancho” Villaraza also denied Trillanes’ allegation that he facilitated the negotiation between the Binay camp and the two justices and dares Trillanes to produce the evidence.

Villaraza’s law office, the Villaraza & Angangco or The Firm, also issued another statement saying that the relationship of one of their partners with one of the appeals court justice has no bearing with Trillanes’ accusation. AC

“The Firm has very expressly clarified that it is not involved in the case for or against Mayor Binay and his family much less in any alleged bribery. The issue is not the filial relationship between Atty. Franchette Acosta and Justice Francis Acosta but whether The Firm is at all involved in the case against Mayor Binay. Neither Atty. Acosta nor anyone in The Firm is involved in any litigation faced by Mayor Binay,” the statement issued Thursday said.