Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales issued yesterday another preventive suspension order against Makati Mayor Erwin “Junjun” Binay in connection to the graft and administrative cases arising from the alleged overpriced construction of Makati Science High School building.
The anti-graft czar said that despite efforts by the OMB to serve the 12-page suspension joint order, Mayor Binay and his staff refused to receive a copy of the document.
The process servers were compelled to proceed to the mayor’s residence to serve the order, she said.
Also suspended in the six months suspension order without pay are 14 other officials of the local government.
It was the special panel of investigators that recommended the preventive suspension of the respondents.
Also facing criminal charges are 10 executives of the Hilmarcs’ Construction Corporation which built the structure.
Morales said “there is a showing that the respondents mutually aided one another in rigging and pre-arranging, in favor of pre-selected contractors, the procurement and award including the approval and release of payments.”
Morales instructed the Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to immediately implement the preventive suspension order.
Binay and his co-respondents also face criminal charges of graft and corruption as well as plunder together with Vice President Jejomar Binay who was then the city mayor when the science building construction started.
However, the elder Binay could not be suspended as he is an impeachable officer.
The younger Binay was first ordered suspended last March in connection with the investigation on the alleged overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.
Binay and his co-accused city officials, however, were able to secure a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals stopping the implementation of the suspension order.
MANILA BULLETIN
