Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – Suspended Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr., in his reply-affidavit on Thursday (September 10), stood firm on the libel case he filed against Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
Trillanes pointed out in the counter-affidavit he filed last month that he should be granted parliamentary immunity since his statements against Binay were delivered while he was doing his duties as a senator.
The suspended Makati mayor, in his 14-page reply to Trillanes’ counter-affidavit, argued that the the senator and his libelous statements are not covered by parliamentary immunity.
Binay filed on April a libel complaint against Trillanes who accused him of bribing Court of Appeals (CA) justices to issue an injunction against the mayor’s preventive suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Binay also pointed out that Trillanes made the same allegations in a press conference, after the senator made his libelous statements against Binay and his family in a Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing.
Under the law, Binay said Trillanes’s primary duty as senator is to enact laws, not to determine who are guilty of a criminal act.
Binay’s camp also said that if Trillanes truly had evidence to back his claims, the senator should have brought this issue to the Supreme Court.
Trillanes earlier stated that the justice department has no jurisdiction over the matter and that Binay’s complaint should be dismissed. Trillanes also argued that the case should be handled by the Senate ethics committee instead.
Binay, however, rejected this argument and said that while the Senate may discipline its members, this power does not remove the justice department’s authority to prosecute members of Congress for criminal acts.
As far as Binay is concerned, Trillanes was motivated simply by ill will and malice with his charges, ultimately aimed at derailing the plans of his father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, to run for president next year.
VP Binay faces 4th plunder case
Lawyer Renato Bondal on Tuesday (September 8) filed the fourth plunder case against Vice President Jejomar Binay, claiming that Binay was involved in the illegal conversion and misappropriation of a military property in Fort Bonifacio.
In his complaint, Bondal alleged Binay of using a dummy in acquiring a property previously occupied by the Philippine Army engineering battalion officers, with a total land area of about 16,000 square meters.
Bondal cited former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado’s statement during a senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing, where Binay was identified as the owner of the said property.
Referring to Mercado’s statements, Bondal said that the ownership is allegedly hidden under the Meriras Realty Development Corporation and/or under the name of Erlinda Chong.
Bondal further added that Meriras is the combination of the names of Ernesto Mercado and former Makati City engineer Nelson Irasga who were still in good terms with the vice president in the 1990’s when Binay was still the city mayor.
Vice President Binay’s camp, however, claimed that this latest plunder case filed by Bondal is yet “another nuisance suit”.
Binay’s spokesman Atty. Rico Quicho called Bondal and Mercado as “indefatigable sources of trumped up charges against the Vice President”.
Quicho said the plunder case is “but another charge that has been bought and paid for.”
Mon Ilagan, another spokesperson of Binay, also said the most recent plunder case is just another plot to harass the vice president and his family.
“Hindi naman talaga titigil kalaban ni VP Binay. Si Atty. Bondal talaga, sila ang gusto bumaba o magpababa rating ni VP,” Ilagan told the media.
[Translation: Vice President (VP) Binay’s political rivals won’t stop. Atty. Bondal clearly wants the VP’s ratings to go down.]
According to Ilagan, these allegations are not new to Binay’s camp anymore. And that they expect the vice president’s critics to be more aggressive in their demolition job as election nears.
“Itong pagsasampa ng plunder ay that’s another part of the never-ending [tele] nobela. Part ng investigation sa Senado. Hindi talga titigil unless sumuko ang vice president,” Ilagan said.
[Translation: This plunder case is just a part of the never-ending (tele) nobela. It’s part of the Senate’s investigation. This will not stop unless the vice president gives up].
