VP Binay, son face plunder raps for alleged overpriced building construction

By AMANDA FERNANDEZ, GMA News

Published July 22, 2014 4:00pm

(Updated 9:07 p.m.) A former political opponent has filed plunder charges against Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, Makati City Mayor Erwin Jejomar Binay Jr., in connection with the alleged overpricing of a construction of a parking building in 2007.

In a nine-page affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, lawyer Renato Bondal, who was the younger Binay's opponent in the 2013 elections, and a certain Nicolas "Ching" Enciso VI, accused the two Binays and 21 other respondents of verpricing the construction of the New Makati City Parking Building along F. Zobel St. in Poblacion.

The complainants said at least P1.56 billion was paid for the construction of the building. However, data from the National Statistics Office showed that it should have only cost P245 million "or an enormous overprice of more than P1.314 billion."

"The respondents, particularly the Vice President Jejomar Binay and the son, incumbent Mayor Erwin Binay violated every rule in construction manuals and governmet procedures in pushing for a project that was grossly overpriced and funded by various loans which were then passed through the city council by respondent councilors irregularly through supplemental budgets for five years," the complainants said in the affidavit.

In 2007, Vice President Binay was the city mayor while his son, a city councilor.

The younger Binay questioned basis of the complainants for their allegation.

“Nakakatawa ang alegasyong ito. Batay sa mga desisyon ng korte at mga regulasyon ng COA (Commission on Audit), para patunayan na may overpricing, dapat may comparison ng similar items, pero hindi nila ito ginawa. Ang basehan lang nila ay construction statistics mula sa NSO,” Binay said in a press conference on June 16, after he first learned that Bondal and Enciso were about to file a plunder complaint against him, his father and several city councilors.

A portion of the press conference was shown on GMA News' “24 Oras” Tuesday evening.

Mayor Binay also questioned why Bondal and Enciso did not include in their complaint the other city councilors who are their allies.

“We would like to point out that those who filed the complaint did not include the names of their own political allies and partymates who were present at the City Council sessions when the ordinances they cited was approved,” he said.

Aside from the two Binays, the other respondents are 2007 to 2013 city councilors Ferdinand T. Eusebio, Arnold C. Magpantay, Romeo C. Medina, Tosca Puno-Ramos, Maria Alethea Casal-Uy, Ma. Concepcion Yabut, Virgilio Hilario, Monsour Del Rosario, Vince Sese, Nelson S. Pasia, Salvador Pangilinan, Elias Tolentino, Ruth Tolentino, Henry A. Jacome, Leo Magpantay, Nemesio "King" Yabut, Armand Padilla, Israel Cruzado, Ma. Theresa De Lara, Angelito Gatchalian, Ernesto Aspillaga, and Commission on Audit auditor to Makati City Cecilia Cag-Anan.

The 11-storey building, which has a roof deck and six floors of parking, has a total floor area of 31,928 square meters.

As of posting time, GMA News Online was still trying to reach the camp of the Binays for their comment on the matter.

Politically motivated?

Earlier in June, the younger Binay described the yet-to-be-filed plunder complaint against them by "long-time political opponents of his family" as "ridiculous, baseless, and clearly politically-motivated."

"We have read the complaints, and so did our lawyers. These complaints are ridiculous and baseless, and it is obvious that they are motivated solely by politics, and not by a desire for public accountability," Mayor Binay said on the city government's website.

"According to jurisprudence and COA regulations, to prove that there is overpricing, there has to be a comparison of similar items. But the complainants did not do this. Instead, they merely relied on construction statistics from NSO," he added.

Binay also said it was "absurd" that the complainants did not include their allies, who were allegedly also present during the city council sessions when the resolutions were approved.

"Ibig sabihin gusto nilang proteksyunan ang kanilang mga tao. Malinaw na hindi accountability ang habol nila. Ang habol nila ay sirain ang pangalan ng aking ama dahil malapit na ang 2016 elections," he said. — RSJ/NB, GMA News

Tags: jejomarbinay, junjunbinay