Travel ban on Binays, et al.

VICE PRESIDENT Jejomar Binay (right) and his son Junjun Binay MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, ex-Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, may not leave the country anytime soon after the Sandiganbayan issued a hold-departure order against them in connection with graft charges they are facing.

The antigraft court’s Third Division, in a July 15 order, directed the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to bar the two—and 17 other former Makati City officials indicted with them—from leaving the country after they were charged with graft and malversation by the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged anomalies in the construction of Makati City Hall Building II that ended up costing P2.28 billion.

The hold-departure order was issued by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, with Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Sarah Jane Fernandez.

BI spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang said they had yet to receive a copy of the hold order but would implement it as soon as they receive it.

“We need to get copy. We are just waiting for the official transmittal of the orders to us,” she said before the BI alerts all ports to prevent the departure of the Binays and the others.

On Thursday, the two Binays and the other former Makati officials were haled by the Ombudsman to the antigraft court on charges they rigged the bidding and overpriced the construction of the Makati City Hall annex and car park.

Building construction was begun in 2007 when the former vice president was mayor of Makati. It was completed in 2013 during the term of his son and successor, Junjun. The latter was later dismissed as Makati mayor by the Ombudsman and disqualified from holding public office because of the charges.

The Binay camp, however, appeared unfazed. The Binays’ lawyer, Daniel Subido, said the court’s hold-departure order was par for the course in cases of such nature.

“A hold-departure order is a necessary consequence of the mere filing of an information in the Sandiganbayan. It is applicable to all,” he said in a statement to reporters.

“However, it has no bearing at all on the merits of the case. We are confident that these frivolous cases will be dismissed,” Subido added.

The older Binay—who is facing four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, one count of malversation and nine counts of falsification of public documents—was indicted over his involvement in the initial phases of the project, and the younger Binay for the later stages.

On Friday, father and son posted bail for their temporary liberty only hours after the case was assigned to the Sandiganbayan Third Division and before warrants for their arrest could be issued.  With a report from Tina G. Santos