New plunder raps vs Binays

In his latest complaint, lawyer Renato Bondal asked the Ombudsman to investigate ousted Makati mayor Junjun Binay for awarding contracts worth P828 million to two computer firms alleged to be “dummy companies” of the Binays.

Bondal claimed that Codeworks.PH Inc., which bagged contracts worth P526.5 million from the Makati city government from 2008 to 2014, was chaired by the wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s crony Gerry Limlingan, Marguerite Lichnock.

Bondal also alleged that Powerlink.Com Corp., which cornered P322.1 million in contracts from 2008 to 2014, was led by persons also linked to Limlingan, including his son Gerardo Martin Limlingan.

“It has been fairly established that the standard operating procedure during the incumbency of Vice President Jejomar Binay as mayor of Makati, (was that) all biddings were rigged and prearranged,” Bondal claimed.

He alleged that the Binays committed plunder and graft because they had “direct financial interest” in those companies which were awarded lucrative contracts by the Makati city government.

“These companies were shell companies…the actual and real work (was) done by the employees of the urban development department of the Makati city government and not by employees of these companies. Hence, the services rendered by these companies were a sham, fictitious,” he added.

Bondal said he would also file a complaint against the Vice President once he has secured copies of the contract entered during his term as mayor.

He said they have so far secured the contracts from 2013 to 2014 during the term of the younger Binay, who succeeded his father in 2010.

Last July, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales twice ordered the younger Binay dismissed and perpetually disqualified from holding public office for the alleged lack of public bidding in two infrastructure projects.

A spokesperson of the Binay camp, Joey Salgado, called Bondal’s latest charges “a work of fiction.”

Bondal ran for mayor of Makati in 2013 but lost to Junjun Binay.

“For Mr. Bondal and his generous political sponsors, we can only pray for their enlightenment. May the Christmas season remind them the value of truth over selfish gain,” Salgado said.

Salgado declined to say who were the “generous political sponsors” he referred to.

Claro Certeza, Binay’s lawyer, said that while he had yet to see a copy of the complaint, he was certain it was “merely a recycled case.”

He said this was because Bondal felt the need to “make himself relevant” especially now that he had been “overtaken by issues” in the media. With a report by Kristine Felisse Mangunay