Ex-VP Binay, son face graft, falsification charges

MANILA (UPDATED)- Former Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, dismissed Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay Jr., were charged with graft on Thursday over alleged irregularities in a P1.3-billion school building project.

The father and son allegedly conspired to rig the procurement for the 10-story structure in Makati City, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said in a statement.

Binays face additional graft cases for Makati City Science High School building project pic.twitter.com/dqrvma0E83

— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) August 3, 2017

In two separate resolutions approved on Tuesday, Morales charged the Binays with 4 counts of graft and 3 counts of falsification of public documents each.

The elder Binay, who was a long-time Makati City Mayor, was earlier charged with 4 counts of graft, 9 counts of falsification, and 1 count of malversation over the allegedly overpriced P2.2-billion Makati City Hall Building 2 project.

Binay Jr. was meanwhile charged with 2 counts of graft and 1 count of malversation.

A spokesperson for the Binays said the Ombudsman's move "comes as no surprise" because she had "time and again disregarded her agency's internal rules, due process and Constitutional rights to pursue her witch hunt" against the Binay family.

"The allegations have been answered, but apparently disregarded by the Ombudsman. It once again underscores the selective prosecution of the Binays and the Ombudsman's tendency to look the other way when other political personalities are involved," Joey Salgado said in a statement sent to ABS-CBN News.

The Binays, he said, are "confident that in a fair and impartial trial, they will be able to clear their names and dispute the baseless charges of a patently biased Ombudsman."