Six more charges await Binay

CEBU, Philippines- A lawyer who filed plunder charges against Vice President Jejomar Binay over the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati Parking Building said he still have six more charges to be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Lawyer Renato Bondal, who was in Cebu City yesterday, said one of the six charges is still related to the parking building built in 2007 while the other five charges are in connection with the construction of the Makati Friendship Building during Binay's term as mayor.

"I will file six more cases against him," Bondal said during the 888 New Forum.

According to Bondal, the P1.56 billion parking building was grossly overpriced. Aside from Binay, several city councilors and resident auditor Cecille Cag-anan of the Commission on Audit will be included in the complaint.

Bondal explained that even at present cost, the 31,928 square meter parking building should have cost only P789.2 million.

Bondal said the building was overpriced by at least P761 million.

Bondal was joined by Ching Enciso, lead convenor of the Save Makati Movement, as complainants against Binay.

Bondal denied allegations that he is now on a "speech tour" to discredit Binay and that his activity is being financed by the Liberal Party.

"That is not true, I paid for my fare, my hotel room, everything in coming here. Kung may speech tour ako, eh di kasama ko na sana ang buong legal team ko. Instead of answering our complaint, ang ginagawa nila pulos espekulasyon," said Bondal.

Talks are rife that Binay will run for president in 2016 but Bondal said, somebody who has no "stain" should be in that position.

"For me my choice is Grace Poe," said Bondal when asked of his presidential bet.

Binay described the plunder case filed against him as politically motivated and without factual basis.

Binay said the case has something to do with the 2016 elections since he is being regarded as one of the frontrunners.

The vice president said that the complainants are all local political opponents who are backed by a known group of lawyers who has been trying to resurrect dismissed cases against him.

"This complaint is no exception, although we have been informed that this time around, our local opponents have been provided with the needed resources, financial and otherwise, by certain national interest groups, particularly a group of lawyers closely identified with a national personality," Binay said.

Binay is confident that the complaint will be dismissed for lack of merit. "In a fair and impartial evaluation, this complaint, and all the others that we know for a fact are in the pipeline, will be dismissed," Binay said.

Binay added that those behind the complaint intend to sow intrigue between him and President Aquino by spreading the word that the complaint was initiated by the Palace.

"And it appears that there is a deeper agenda at play. We have been told that those who are pulling the strings want to sow intrigue between President Aquino and myself. They want me to think that the Palace is orchestrating the filing of this baseless complaint against me and my son to divert attention from the impeachment complaints filed against the President," Binay said.  —/FPL) (FREEMAN)