Sandigan OKs Binay spouses spiritual trip to Israel

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay Sr. PHOTO BY MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.NET

Former vice president Jejomar Binay and his wife Elenita can go ahead with their spiritual trip to Israel this month.

The Sandiganbayan has allowed the requests of the couple despite their graft charges in court.

In separate resolutions, the Fourth and Fifth Divisions allowed Elenita while the Third Division allowed Binay Sr. to travel to Israel from May 15 to 29.

The courts ordered Mr. Binay to deposit a P752,000 travel bond and Mrs. Binay to deposit P210,000 travel bond.

The courts also ordered the couple to present themselves five days after their return.

The courts ordered them to travel not earlier than May 15 and return not later than May 29, and within Israel only.

The courts warned the two to comply with the requirements or else it will forfeit the bail bond and issue an arrest warrant.

The Third Division granted Binay Sr.’s travel motion after the former vice president agreed to undergo conditional arraignment, when he refused to enter a plea to his charges.

READ: Former VP Binay refuses to enter plea in overpriced building case 

The courts granted their travel request over the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s opposition on the basis that the Binay couple is a flight risk.

READ: Gov’t lawyers oppose Binays’ bid to leave PH, cite pending raps

The prosecution said Binay Sr. is going on a pilgrimage with the rest of the family, including the matriarch Mrs. Binay, who also faces graft and malversation cases before two divisions in the Sandiganbayan.

This means the Binays would be abroad despite pending cases in the country, making them flight risks, the prosecution said.

The said pilgrimage would be led by Father Francis Gustilo, the Pilgrimage Chaplain and former Father Provincial of the Salesian Fathers in the Philippines.

Father Gustilo is also the spiritual facilitator of the Binays’ regular Tuesday Bible meetings at Don Bosco Center in Makati.

In his travel motion, Binay Sr. said he is almost 75 years old and a family man who “believes this pilgrimage to the Holy Land is an exceptional case for a devout Catholic.”

READ: Ex-VP Binay, son seek court permit to go on Israel pilgrimage

The Binays also said they have no intention to flee their charges.

Three Binays are charged before the Sandiganbayan with graft and malversation charges over alleged anomalies when they served in turns as Makati mayor.

Binay Sr. was formally charged after he stepped down from his post, and after his defeat in the 2016 presidential elections.

Binay Sr. and his son dismissed Makati mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay Jr. are co-accused in the graft, malversation and falsification of public documents charges in connection with the anomalous construction of the P2.2 billion Makati car park building.

READ: Citizen Binay faces graft, malversation, falsification raps over Makati parking building | Junjun Binay charged with graft, document falsification over carpark building 

While Binay Sr. was charged for allegedly rigging the first three phases of the building when he was Makati mayor, Binay Jr. was charged for phases IV and V of the building when he succeeded his father in the city hall.

Binay Sr. served as Makati mayor from 1988 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010. He was elected vice president in 2010. Binay Jr. was Makati mayor in 2010 until he was dismissed from service in 2015 due to the charges.

Binay Jr. had also been conditionally arraigned.

READ: Ombudsman orders dismissal of Junjun Binay

Binay Sr.’s wife Elenita, who served as mayor from 1998 to 2001, faces graft and malversation raps before the Sandiganbayan Third Division over alleged irregularities in the procurement of hospital beds worth P36.43 million in 2001 and P8.83 million worth of dry heat sterilizers in 2000 for the Ospital ng Makati.

READ: Sandiganbayan denies Binay plea to suspend graft hearing 

She also faces a separate graft case in the Fifth Division over the anomalous purchase of furniture and fixtures worth P72.06 million in 1999.

READ: Mercado finally takes witness stand in Elenita Binay graft case 

She secured victory in her three graft cases.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted Dr. Binay’s demurrer to evidence in her P21.7-million graft case over the alleged overpricing of furniture for the city hall in 2000.

READ:  Sandigan junks Elenita Binay’s P21.7-million graft case 

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division acquitted her of graft in the alleged overprice of P13.25-million purchase of furniture for the city hall in 1999.

READ:  Sandigan acquits Elenita Binay, 2 others in overpricing case

In 2011, the Sandiganbayan Second Division dismissed a graft case against her over allegedly overpriced furniture worth P58.04 million purchased from October to December 2000./ac