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[av_heading heading=’Elenita Binay cleared of graft charges ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Former Makati City mayor Elenita Binay scored another legal win on Thursday as the Sandiganbayan cleared her of graft charges in connection with the purchase of allegedly overpriced furniture at city hall.
The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division also cleared General Services Department chief Ernesto Aspillaga and city government official Vivian Edna Edurise.
Prosecution’s failure to prove guilt led the Sandiganbayan to junk the charges, Binay’s counsel Sandra Marie Olaso-Coronel told Panay News.
“The Binay family is very happy and relieved with the ruling, especially because the case had been pending for a long time,” Coronel said.
“The dismissal of the case and Binay’s acquittal discredit the Commission on Audit report, which was the basis of all cases filed,” she added.
The case stemmed from the purchase of over P13.25 million in office furniture for the Makati City Hall from December 1999 to February 2000. The procurement was overpriced by P3.6 million.
A total of four cases related to the purchase of Makati City Hall furniture were filed against Binay before the Sandiganbayan. Of the four, three were already dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Binay, wife of former vice president Jejomar Binay, still faces another case over allegedly overpriced furniture bought for Ospital ng Makati. The case was filed before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division./PN
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