Hold order issued vs ex-VP Binay, son Junjun

Vice President Jejomar Binay (left) and suspended Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. INQUIRER FILES

A division of the Sandiganbayan has issued a hold departure order against former Vice President Jejomar Binay, son ex-Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and 10 others after they were  charged in court by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued the hold order last July 15 but was only released to media on Tuesday.

“The court … hereby orders the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to hold the departure from the Philippines of the above-named accused and to include the name/s of said accused in the hold departure list of said bureau,” the Third Division said.

The order was signed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang and Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Sarah Jane Fernandez.

Also slapped hold departure orders were former Makati city administrator Marjorie De Veyra, former legal officer Pio Kenneth Dasal, former budget officer Lorenza Amores, former central planning management head Virginia Hernandez, former city engineers Mario Badillo, former city accountants Leonila Querijero and Cecilio Lim III, and Orlnado Mateo.

Binay was charged with four counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, nine counts of Falsification of Public Documents as defined under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and one count of malversation of public funds as defined under Article 217 of the RPC.

Junjun was charged with two counts of graft and one count of malversation.

The former Vice President has posted a P376,000 bail for his temporary liberty./rga