Sandigan clears Binays for Israel pilgrimage

May 12, 2017 - 6:38 AM
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InterAksyon file photo of former Vice President Jejomar Binay

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has allowed former Makati City mayor Elenita Binay to join her husband former Vice President Jejomar Binay for a two-week pilgrimage to Israel this month.

The former Vice President, on the other hand, secured his permission to travel after his conditional arraignment before the Third Division on Wednesday for graft, falsification and malversation charges over the allegedly overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.

In two separate resolutions released Thursday, the anti-graft court’s Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions set conditions for Mrs. Binay to join her husband on a “Holy Land Pilgrimage” from May 15 to 29, 2017:

  • She should not leave the country earlier than May 15 and return before May 29.
  • She should personally appear before the Division Clerks of Court within 15 days upon return to the country.

Mrs. Binay is facing graft and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan‘s Third Division over the allegedly anomalous purchase of P45 million worth of hospital beds and sterilizers for the Ospital ng Makati.

She is also facing a separate graft case before the Fifth Division for the allegedly anomalous purchase in 1999 of P72 million in office partitions and furniture when she was Makati mayor.