CA grants Junjun plea to resolve suspension

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) has granted the plea of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. for the immediate resolution of his petition last June questioning his suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly overpriced construction of the Makati Science High School Building (MSHSB).

In a two-page resolution promulgated last Thursday, the CA’s Special Ninth Division decided to submit the case for resolution even without the answers from the ombudsman.

The CA, in an order penned by Associate Justice Melchor Sadang, held that all parties have been given a chance to submit their position as it cited their failure to meet the deadline last month.

The CA decided to stop holding hearings on the ccase, as another division did in Binay’s petition against an earlier suspension order issued by the ombudsman, “to allow a speedy disposition of this case.”

Associate Justices Amy Lazaro-Javier and Rodil Zalameda concurred in this ruling.

In his petition, Binay asked the CA to once more issue a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction on his preventive suspension.

Binay has again invoked the doctrine of condonation, saying the alleged illegal acts pertaining to the seven-phase school building project were committed when he was not yet the mayor.

The CA’s Sixth Division earlier stopped the ombudsman from implementing a six-month suspension order against Binay in connection with the alleged anomaly in the City Hall Building 2. That case was elevated to the Supreme Court for review and two of the three justices were accused of receiving bribe money from Binay.