Binays post bail in rigged bidding case

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, former Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr., on Monday posted bail of P192,000 each in connection with the latest case filed against them, this time over the P1.35-billion Makati Science High School.

The two Binays appeared before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division after it found probable cause to proceed with the case against them. By posting bail, father and son preempted the court’s issuance of a warrant for their arrest.

While waiting for his documents to be processed, Binay Sr. was seen holding a copy of the book, “How Democracies Die,” written by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. It tells of how elected authoritarian leaders end up subverting democratic institutions.

Binay Sr. later told reporters: “I did not do anything wrong.”

He left the building through the fire escape.

Ombudsman scored

In a statement, the Binays’ spokesperson, Joey Salgado, reiterated that the Ombudsman’s indictment was “baseless and frivolous, a product of her obsession to malign the Binays in total disregard of facts, constitutional rights and established jurisprudence.”

He cited the Arias doctrine which held that heads of office had to rely to a reasonable extent on their subordinates, thus, it was in good faith that they sign documents prepared by their men.

“The Ombudsman is a former justice of the Supreme Court. We find it difficult to accept that she is oblivious to the existence of the Arias doctrine,” Salgado said, referring to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges on March 9 against the Binays who were each accused of four counts of graft and three counts of falsification.

Based on the complaint, the Binays, during their respective terms as Makati mayor from 2007 to 2012, awarded a P17.37-million architectural contract for the construction of the school building to Infiniti Architectural Works.

6-phase project

Binay Sr. also awarded to Hilmarc’s Construction Corp. the P423.64-million contracts for the construction of the first three phases of the 10-story school building, while his son awarded the P908.97-million contracts for the last three phases.

The procurement, however, was allegedly rigged as Makati City officials supposedly forged the documents and bid invitations to make it appear that there were other bidders. —With a report from Dexter Cabalza