BINAY
Former vice president Jejomar Binay and his wife Elenita can go ahead with their spiritual trip to Israel this month.
The Sandiganbayan has allowed the requests of the couple despite their graft charges in court.
In separate resolutions, the Fourth and Fifth Divisions allowed Elenita while the Third Division allowed Binay Sr. to travel to Israel from May 15 to 29.
The courts ordered Mr. Binay to deposit a P752,000 travel bond and Mrs. Binay to deposit P210,000 travel bond.
The courts also ordered the couple to present themselves five days after their return.
The courts ordered them to travel not earlier than May 15 and return not later than May 29, and within Israel only.
The courts warned the two to comply with the requirements or else it will forfeit the bail bond and issue an arrest warrant.
The Third Division granted Binay Sr.’s travel motion after the former vice president agreed to undergo conditional arraignment, when he refused to enter a plea to his charges.
The courts granted their travel request over the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s opposition on the basis that the Binay couple is a flight risk.
The prosecution said Binay Sr. is going on a pilgrimage with the rest of the family, including the matriarch Mrs. Binay, who also faces graft and malversation cases before two divisions in the Sandiganbayan.
This means the Binays would be abroad despite pending cases in the country, making them flight risks, the prosecution said.
The said pilgrimage would be led by Father Francis Gustilo, the Pilgrimage Chaplain and former Father Provincial of the Salesian Fathers in the Philippines.
Father Gustilo is also the spiritual facilitator of the Binays’ regular Tuesday Bible meetings at Don Bosco Center in Makati.