Special panel formed to handle probe

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has created another team of graft investigators and prosecutors to handle the preliminary investigation into the graft charges filed against Vice President Jejomar Binay, his son Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay and 21 others in relation to the allegedly anomalous Makati City Hall Building 2 project.

The STAR sources said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales formed the all-woman group on Monday, which is different from the first panel – the main task of which was fact-finding.

The identities of the members of the new team are being withheld for security reasons.

Sources explained that under the rules of the Office of the Ombudsman, preliminary investigation should be completed within 60 days.

Completion, however, only means that all pleadings should have been submitted during the period and the issuance of a resolution or ruling is not included in the timeline.

The ombudsman on Wednesday issued a six-month preventive suspension order against Mayor Binay and 20 other city officials.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II has been tasked to implement the directive, which can only be held in abeyance by a temporary restraining order (TRO) from a court.

In a preliminary investigation stage, the Binays and the others are given the opportunity to refute the accusations – a privilege not accorded to respondents during a fact-finding probe.

The ombudsman also belied claims it had rushed its fact-finding investigation into the alleged anomalies involving the Binays, as well as its issuance of a six- month suspension order against the mayor.

In a press briefing yesterday, Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Asryman Rafanan said the complaints against the respondents were filed in July 2014.