Elenita Binay allowed to fly to US

Elenita Binay arrives at Sandiganbayan for her arraignment. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO/NESTOR CORRALES

MANILA, Philippines–Dr. Elenita Binay, the wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay, has been allowed by three different divisions of the Sandiganbayan to travel to California to undergo a medical checkup after posting a P420,000 bond.

In separate orders, justices of the antigraft court’s Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions granted the request of Binay, a former Makati City mayor, for a 22-day visit to the United States to see her doctor.

The justices limited Binay’s trip to the state of California and said she should comply with other restrictions set by the courts.

Cedars Sinai

In her motion, Binay said she wanted to see her physician, Dr. Robert Klapper, for a medical examination at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

She said she would be staying with her sister, Minda Sombillo Weinreich, in California.

As required by the courts, Binay posted a P420,00 travel bond in the Third Division, where she is standing trial for two counts of graft and two counts of malversation over the alleged overprice in the purchase of P40-million worth of hospital equipment when she was the mayor of Makati in 2001.

The Fourth and Fifth Divisions, on the other hand, did not ask her to pay a travel bond as she had already paid the necessary fees during previous trips abroad.

Furniture

Binay had been indicted in the Fourth and Fifth Divisions for alleged irregularities in the procurement of office furniture in the amount of P107 million without a public bidding.

The justices ordered Binay to personally appear before the clerks of courts of the three Sandiganbayan divisions five days after her scheduled arrival on May 22.

If she fails to return on the day set by the court, the justices said a warrant for her arrest would be issued and her travel bonds would be forfeited.