MANILA – Former Vice-President Jejomar Binay on Friday went to Sandiganbayan to post bail for his cases involving the allegedly anomalous construction of Makati City Hall Building 2.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed Thursday four counts of graft, nine counts of falsification of public documents and one count of malversation charge against Binay for awarding the phases 1, 2 and 3 of the construction of the carpark building without proper public bidding.

Ex-VP Jejomar Binay arrives at Sandiganbayan to post bail for graft, malversation and falsification cases. pic.twitter.com/3BLaPrEqSJ

— Carolyn Bonquin (@carolyn_bonquin) July 15, 2016

The former vice-president's bail totaled P376,000.

Meanwhile, Binay's son, former Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, faces additional two counts of graft and one count of malversation. Binay Jr. was already charged with two counts of graft and six counts of falsification for the 4th and 5th phase of the project last February.

Binay Sr., whose six-year term as vice-president ended last June 30, was the Makati mayor when the first three phases of the project rolled out in 2007.

Binay Jr. continued the remaining phases of the building construction when took over his father's position in 2010.

The cases against the elder Binay involve P11,011,294.77 paid for the architectural design and engineering services of MANA Architecture and Design Company, and P1.486 billion for the construction services of Hilmarc's Construction Company. This includes P386.998 million paid to Hilmarc's for the first phase, P499.357 million for the second phase, and P599.395 million for the third phase.

Binay's legal counsel, Daniel Subido, said Binay "is eager to go to court to prove the grave abuses of the Ombudsman and have these frivolous cases dismissed."

Subido argued that the Ombudsman violated Binay's constitutional rights. He said there is no specific act attributed against his client that would constitute a crime.

CASES MERGED

Instead of raffling off to determine the handling division, the Sandiganbayan has decided to consolidate the cases filed against the former vice president with the pending cases of his son.

Justice Oscar Herrera, chairman of the raffle committee, announced on Friday that the cases against the former vice-president and his son will be consolidated at the Sandiganbayan Third Division because "all the cases filed emanated from the same [Ombudsman] resolution."

The Sandiganbayan Third division is headed by Presiding Justice Ampato Cabotaje-Tang, which also hears the malversation and graft cases of the former vice president's wife, Elenita.

Mrs. Binay is being tried over the allegedly anomalous purchase of P45-million hospital beds and medical supplies when she was mayor.

Justice Tang said the Sandiganbayan en banc decided to merge the Binay cases "to avoid any potential conflict in the rulings" of any division of the court. She added that "the new cases...relate from the same transactions."

"Remember there are earlier cases filed against Mayor Junjun Binay, and the basis of that, the filing of that cases was an Ombudsman resolution [which] states that with respect to VP Binay who is also a respondent...the cases will not be filed because of his immunity at that time," Justice Tang said.

The Sandiganbayan said it might need "a couple of months" to determine the existence of sufficient grounds to pursue the cases against the two Binays.

"We have to be very careful because there are many documents to be assessed here," the justice said.

"Kung matapos namin ito ahead, we'll discuss among ourselves, members ng third division, if we'll promulgate our earlier resolution for determination of probable cause on Mayor Junjun Binay's cases."

Justice Tang also assured a fair trial for the former vice president.

"We will simply rule based on evidence, we dont care about politics," she said.