Junjun Binay suspended for six mos

Makati Mayor Erwin Binay show a minor bruise and pacifies supporters after he was brought to the Senate plenary when he refused to testify at the Senate hearing on Thursday (January 29, 2015) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay was placed under six months preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“OmbudsmanPh preventively suspends Mayor Binay Jr., et al for (six) months, pending investigation of the Makati carpark complaint,” the Ombudsman tweeted Wednesday.

The suspension was in connection with the on probe for their involvement in the allegedly overpriced Makati Parking Building.

The preliminary investigation against Junjun and his father Vice President Jejomar Binay is set to begin.

The Binays and 22 others faces malversation, falsification, graft and violation of the procurement law for their alleged involvement in the overpriced construction of the building.

The Ombudsman said that it will include in its investigation the alleged irregularities in the procurement and award of the building’s design, architectural services and the construction.

This is following the respondents claim that the contract for the design and architectural services which costs P11.9-million was awarded to MANA Architecture and Interior Design Company without public bidding.

Aside from the Binays, also included in the complaint are former City Administrator Marjorie de Veyra, City Legal Officer Pio Kenneth Dasal, City Budget Officer Lorenza Amores, former Central Planning Management Office (CPMO) Chief Virginia Hernandez, former City Engineer Mario Badillo, former City Accountant Leonila Querijero, former Acting City Accountant Raydes Pestaño, City Accountant Cecilio Lim III, Acting City Accountant Eleno Mendoza, City Treasurer Nelia Barlis, CPMO Engineers Arnel Cadangan, Emerito Magat and Connie Consulta, CPMO Chief Line Dela Peña, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Secretariat Heads Giovanni Condes and Manolito Uyaco, Technical Working Group (TWG) Chairman Rodel Nayve, BAC member Ulysses Orienza, General Services Department (GSD) OIC Gerardo San Gabriel, GSD staff member Norman Flores, as well as private respondents Orlando Mateo of MANA and Efren Canlas of Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation (Hilmarc).