Ex-VP Binay, son Junjun acquitted of graft, falsification charges

MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has acquitted Vice President Jejomar Binay, his son former Makati City mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr., and several others of graft and falsification of public documents in connection with Makati Science High School Building.

Citing insufficiency of evidence, the Sandiganbayan Special Fifth Division acquitted the Binays and their co-accused, including private defendants, of seven counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and three charges of falsification of public documents, based on the resolution promulgated on December 13, 2024, but released only on Thursday, January 9.

The cases filed in 2018 claimed irregularities in the P17.45-million contract for the design of the Makati Science High School building with a dormitory, and the P1.336-billion contract for the construction of the facilities’ phases 1 to 6. (READ: FAST FACTS: Makati Science High School)

Inifiniti Architectural Works won the design contract while Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation was awarded the construction deals.  

Also acquitted were Makati Bids and Awards Committee chairpersons Marjorie de Veyra and Eleno Mendoza Jr.; BAC members Pio Kenneth Dasal, Lorenza Amores, Ulysess Orienza, Gerardo San Gabriel and Mario Badillo; BAC Secretariat members Giovanni Condes, Manolito Uyaco, Norman Flores and Ralph Liberato; Rodel Nayve of the BAC Technical Working Group; city accountants Leonila Querijero, Cecilio Lim III and Raydes Pestaño; city cashier Nelia Barlis; and private defendants Virginia Garcia of Infiniti Architectural Works, and Efren Canlas and Julius Ramos of Hilmarc’s.

The court granted six separate demurrers to evidence filed by the defendants and ordered the dismissal of all criminal cases against them, citing insufficiency of evidence.

Fifth Division chairperson Associate Justice Rafael Lagos penned the resolution, with concurrences from Associate Justice Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Associate Justice Kevin Narce Vivero.

The court said that the evidence of the prosecution failed to prove that there was conspiracy among the accused and the existence of elements comprising graft and falsification cases.