MANILA – Former Vice President Jejomar Binay was conditionally arraigned Wednesday before the Third Division of the Sandiganbayan, a procedure necessitated by his pending request to the antigraft court to allow him to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Binay, a lawyer, did not enter any plea on the charges of graft, malversation and falsification of public documents slapped on him in connection with the P2.2 billion Makati City Hall Building II.
The Sandiganbayan thus entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ on his behalf, in accordance with the Rules of Court.
Conditional arraignment is an arrangement imposed by the court to reconsider a motion to travel by one accused.
Earliler, Binay had sought permission to travel to Israel for a pilgrimage from May 15 to 29. However, he had to undergo conditional arraignment so he can be placed under the court’s jurisdiction, allowing it then to rule on his request to travel.
Binay’s motion to travel has been submitted for resolution.
