Sandiganbayan defers arraignment for Binays to January 2018

The Sandiganbayan on Friday reset the arraignments of former Vice President Jejomar Binay Sr. and his son, former Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. to January 12, 2018 due to pending motions from the respondents.

The elder Binay still has pending incidents, while the counsels of Junjun have filed a motion to quash before the anti-graft court’s Third Division.

The case stemmed from the alleged overpricing in the Makati City Hall parking building project during the term of the elder Binay as city mayor.

The former vice president is charged with four counts of graft, one count of malversation, and nine counts of falsification of public documents, while Binay Jr. is charged with two counts of graft and six counts of falsification of public documents.

The Ombudsman has accused the respondents of implementing the project—divided into five phases from 2007 to 2013—despite the absence of approved design standards, contract plans, agency cost estimates, detailed engineering and programs of work.

The Ombudsman first filed a case against Junjun in February 2016 for Phases IV and V. It later filed a complaint against the elder Binay in July 2016 for Phases I to III, when his immunity was lifted following the end of his term as vice president. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/RSJ, GMA News