MANILA, Philippines – Dismissed Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay Jr on Friday, February 26, posted bail for the criminal charges filed against him before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.
Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman filed 8 criminal charges against the son of the Vice President and other Makati city officials over the allegedly overpriced contract of the Makati City Hall Parking Building II.
The charges filed last February 19 stemmed from 3 complaints.
Binay posted a P204,000 bail for the two counts of graft and 6 counts of falsification of documents against him: P24,000 for each of the 6 counts of falsification, and P30,000 each for the two counts of graft.
His case has been raffled off to the Sandiganbayan's 3rd Division, chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.
Binay's camp has earlier criticized the cases against him as a political attack against the 2016 presidential bid of his father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, adding that the charges showed that the "bias and partiality of the Ombudsman is beyond dispute."
In October 2015, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered Mayor Binay's dismissal over the alleged overpriced parking building.
The Ombudsman cited "strong evidence" that showed irregularities in several phases of the P2.28-billion project, undertaken from 2007 to 2013.
The Ombudsman's order perpetually disqualifies the younger Binay from public office. Nineteen other Makati officials were also ordered dismissed.
Binay earlier called the Ombudsman's dismissal order “an evil design” of the Aquino administration. (READ: Binay family on Junjun's dismissal: Why is LP so afraid of us?) – Katerina Francisco/Rappler.com