Sufficient grounds found to proceed with Binay probe

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman investigators have found sufficient evidence to proceed with the office’s probe against Vice President Jejomar Binay, his son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, and 22 others for alleged involvement in an anomalous parking building project in Makati City.

The special panel of investigators filed yesterday a complaint before the anti-graft agency’s preliminary investigation bureau for graft, malversation of public funds and violation of the procurement law.

Probers said the charges stemmed from several alleged irregularities in the procurement and award of the contracts for the design and/or architectural services and the construction of the Makati City Hall Parking Building.

Also included in the complaint are former city administrator Marjorie de Veyra, city legal officer Pio Kenneth Dasal, city budget officer Lorenza Amores, former Central Planning Management Office (CPMO) chief Virginia Hernandez, former city engineer Mario Badillo, former city accountant Leonila Querijero, former acting city accountant Raydes Pestaño, city accountant Cecilio Lim III, acting city accountant Eleno Mendoza, city treasurer Nelia Barlis, CPMO engineers Arnel Cadangan, Emerito Magat and Connie Consulta, CPMO chief Line dela Peña, bids and awards committee (BAC) secretariat heads Giovanni Condes and Manolito Uyaco, technical working group (TWG) chairman Rodel Nayve, BAC member Ulysses Orienza, General Services Dept. OIC Gerardo San Gabriel, GSD staff member Norman Flores, as well as private respondents Orlando Mateo of MANA Architecture & Interior Design Co. (MANA) and Efren Canlas of Hilmarc’s Construction Corp.

In addition to the criminal charges, the Office of the Ombudsman said public respondents, except Vice President Binay, face administrative charges for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The special panel of investigators also prayed for the issuance of preventive suspension orders against the respondents pending administrative investigation.

Graft probers said the complaint was filed following months of case build-up and evidence gathering by the special panel composed of field investigators.

The complaint alleges, among other things, that public respondents awarded the P11.974-million contract for the design and/or architectural services to MANA without public bidding, and that periodic payments were released to the firm without its corresponding deliverables under the contract.

It adds that the bidding and the construction for Phases I and II (out of five phases) of the car park building proceeded without a detailed engineering plan from MANA, contrary to procurement laws and regulations.

The complaint further alleges that the procurement and award of the construction contract to Hilmarc’s were marred by irregularities, including the use of falsified documents showing the purported publications of Notices to Bid and the supposed participation of two losing bidders and/or companies, one of which categorically denied participation while the existence of the other cannot be established.

In the preliminary investigation, the Binays and their fellow respondents will be given opportunity to answer the accusations and present counter evidence to prove their innocence.        

The camp of Vice President Binay said it has not yet received a copy of the special panel’s report but maintained that the allegations against him and his son were baseless from the start. – With Helen Flores