Arrest Junjun Binay if he defies orderOmbudsman

MANILA, PhilippinesThe Office of the Ombudsman may move for the arrest and cite in contempt Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Junjun Binay if he continues to defy the preventive suspension against him for graft and malversation over the allegedly overpriced Makati parking building.

The Ombudsman has the power to cite a person in contempt if he disobeys an order of the Ombudsman,Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said ina press conference Thursday.

While the Ombudsman has no direct prosecutorial powers, it may file before the Regional Trial Court a petition for contempt against a person who may be arrested for defying the Ombudsmans orders.

Mayor Binay has holed himself up in the Makati City Hall in defiance of the six-month suspension order. He accused Interior Secretary Mar Roxas of having an unseen hand in the Ombudsman through lawyers affiliated with the special panel of investigators.

Rafanandenied Binaysallegations that Roxas had lawyers in the special panel of investigators,which found strong evidence of guilt that gave way to the filing of the malversation and graft complaintbefore the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman goes by the evidence There is no truth to that, Rafanan said.

The Ombudsman vouches for the integrity of its investigators who came from different offices of the Ombudsman The respondents are expected to answer the charges regardless of external insinuations that they may have, he added.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Binay as saying theOmbudsmans special panel of investigators included prosecutors affiliated with Simeon Marcelo, former Ombudsman and law partner of Nonong Cruz.

They are not only lawyers of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas but are also known as his operators, the mayor said in the report, noting that the DILG was the implementing agency of the suspension order.

They have legal remedies if they have proof of this supposed connections, Rafanan said.

Here is the original post:
Arrest Junjun Binay if he defies orderOmbudsman