Elenita Binay posts bail in medical equipment case

Elenita Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Dr. Elenita Binay, the wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay, on Tuesday posted bail for the malversation and graft charges brought against her in the Sandiganbayan in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of medical equipment worth more P8.8 million when she was the mayor of Makati City.

Dennis Pulma, clerk of court of the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division, said Dr. Binay paid P30,000 bail for the graft case and another P40,000 for the malversation charge.

She posted bail even before the court could issue a warrant for her arrest, Pulma said.

“Under the law, an accused has the right to post bail ahead of the issuance of an arrest warrant from the court,” he said.

According to Pulma, Dr. Binay also posted bail in two other cases that the Office of the Ombudsman filed against her in connection with the allegedly overpriced hospital equipment which the Makati city government purchased in 2003.

He explained that the Vice President’s wife was not included in the list of accused when the cases were first filed last year. But state prosecutors filed an amendment to the criminal complaints and added Dr. Binay’s name to the list of respondents, he said.

The cases stemmed from the allegedly anomalous purchase of hospital beds and dry heat sterilizers for the Ospital ng Makati.

Like any other accused, Pulma said Dr. Binay filled in her personal data sheet and had her mug shot and fingerprints taken as part of the booking process.

Dr. Binay assailed the revival of the cases, noting that the Ombudsman had initially dismissed the charges against her in 2011.

“Maybe this is part of politics. But we’re strong and we support the Vice President,” Dr. Binay told reporters.

The Vice President, who is embroiled in allegations of corruption when he was the mayor of Makati, deplored his wife’s indictment, saying it was part of a grand scheme to discredit him ahead of the 2016 presidential elections. Binay has said he will be running for president in 2016 and has been leading voter preference surveys.