Binay camp hits ‘biased’ Ombudsman anew

MANILA, Philippines - The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday questioned the timing of the release of the Ombudsman resolution affirming the filing of corruption charges against him and his son, dismissed Makati Mayor Jun-Jun Binay, over the supposed anomalous Makati carpark building.

“The Ombudsman resolutions are plainly political tools against the vice president,” Binay’s spokesperson Joey Salgado said.

“Last year, the Ombudsman released its resolution against the Vice President on the day he filed his Certificate of Candidacy. Now it released another resolution on the Motion for Reconsideration just a few days before the start of the campaign period and after Vice President Binay regained his lead in the presidential surveys,” he added.

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday said it has denied the appeals of the vice president, his son and 22 other Makati City officials and employees in connection with the P2.2-billion Makati car park building project.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered the filing of various graft charges against the younger Binay and the other city government officials before the Sandiganbayan.

The Ombudsman said the charges against the Vice President will be filed after the expiration of his term as vice president “consistent with the principle that an impeachable officer, while in office, cannot be the subject of a criminal indictment in court, for an offense which carries the penalty of removal from office.”

Binay is running for president under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance. He is currently leading the surveys, ahead of Sen. Grace Poe, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, administration bet Manuel Roxas II, and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Salgado said that the agenda of the Ombudsman in investigating the elder Binay despite his immunity from suits is to continue the black propaganda against him.

“Simply put, the move of the Ombudsman fits into the orchestrated effort of Mar Roxas, the Liberal Party and its allies including Roxas's mouthpieces masquerading as Palace spokesmen, to attack the vice president,” he said.

“We have never expected fairness and impartiality from the Ombudsman. We look forward to disproving all their allegations in an impartial court,” added Binay’s spokesperson.

In its statement, the Ombudsman stressed that it has the authority to investigate the vice president in accordance with the Constitution, law and jurisprudence.

Binay denied the allegations of corruption and dismissed it as part of the coordinated political attacks to prevent him from winning in the presidential race.