More Cases Underway for VP Binay – Lawyer

Speaking before a news forum in Cebu City on Tuesday, Makati City-base lawyer Renato Bondal said there are more cases coming for Vice President Jejomar, including son Makati mayor Erwin Binay.

Last week, Atty. Renato Bondal filed plunder charges against VP Binay and son over the alleged overpricing of a parking building in Makati whose amount reached a total of P156 billion, making the building one of the most expensive commercial establishment of the city, according to the lawyer.

On Monday, a report coming from the office of the vice president (OVP) said Bondal is out to “spread lies” against the Vice President and that he was as part of a ‘well funded-demolition job’. The report, published in a local daily, also said Bondal will travel to region 6, 7 and 8 for the said propaganda.

Bondal, however, dispels the said report saying he was invited by Cebu media and that he personally pays for this plane fares and accommodation.

Bondal, a family friend of the Binays, said the news report coming from the OVP spokesman Joey Salgado, are clear indicators that the Binays are hiding something from the people.

He said, travelling to region 6,7 and 8 is not true and that he only intends Cebu City per invitation.

Independent Advocacy

Asked by Cebu media if there are people or personalities behind his filing of plunder charges against the Binays, Bondal said that its not proper for him to just keep silent. He said he has already preempted that some people might tend to think politics was behind this case.

Bondal said the 11-storyMakati parking building was bid out not in its total amount, but thru phases. It started sometime in November 7 2007, (Ordinance No. 2001-A-015) in the amount of P400 million with 31, 928 square meter and since its was built in several phases, it is but logical to wait for its completion before one can determine its exact amount, he said.

He said the councilors in Makati are always agreeing to the Binays without thinking over the taxpayers’ money. Bondal, a former Makati councilor, said he only wants the Binays to account for this overpriced project.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) data in the last quarter of 2012, reported that an average cost of commercial buildings was only at P9, 5527.00 per square meter.

Bondal said the P400 million initial appropriation was overpriced by P154 million as the 31, 928-sq meter commercial building amounted only to P304,178,056 based on 2012 prices.

Bondal added that he is not afraid for any counters from the Binays as the people of Makati already knew so much of the case.