Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has found probable cause for the filing of multiple criminal charges, including malversation of public funds and falsification of public documents, against Vice President (VP) Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, his son Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Jr. and 22 others over alleged anomalies in the bidding and construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.
This comes more than a year after the Office of the Ombudsman began a fact-finding investigation in September 2014.
The preliminary investigation began in March this year.
The ombudsman’s announcement came on Monday (October 12) — the same day the vice president filed before the Commission on Elections his certificate of candidacy to run for president in next year’s elections.
‘Flagrant anomalies’
In two resolutions on six docketed cases, the constitutional office alleged that “flagrant anomalies” were found to have been committed by the vice present and others in the design and construction of the building, which was done in six phases.
The vice president faces four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, six counts of falsification of public documents, and one count of malversation for his involvement in phases 1 and 2 of the project.
Likewise, his son faces the same said accusations, but with phases 2 to 6 of the project.
“Documents show that VP Binay and Mayor Binay, Jr., approved the BAC [Bids and Awards Committee] resolutions, notices of awards, contracts and payments using unnumbered/undated disbursement vouchers and obligation requests,” the office said in a statment.
Among other things, it said that the services of Mana Architecture and Interior Design, Co. (MANA) were supposedly engaged without the benefit of public bidding.
It also also alleged that construction projects were awarded to Hilmarc’s Construction Co. (Hilmarc’s) despite the lack of the required publication of the invitations to bid, with Hilmarc’s as the lone bidder in four phases of the project.
The Office of the Ombudsman named Orlando Mateo from MANA and Efren Canlas of Hilmarc’s as among those who are included in the indictment.
In a statement, the office added that Morales junked VP Binay’s contention that the office has no jurisdiction to investigate impeachable officials. She explained that “being an impeachable officer does not insulate him from investigation.”
The office stressed that VP Binay is being investigated for criminal acts committed while he was a city mayor and not as vice president.
Questionable timing?
For his part, vice presidential spokesperson Rico Quicho has questioned the timing of the order’s release. “[Y]ung timing ay talagang kahina-hinala dahil alam naman natin na ngayong araw na ito, ay magpa-file ng Certificate of Candidacy si Vice President Binay,” he told reproters.
