The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has replaced the vote-counting machine (VCM) that was assigned to the voting precinct of former Vice President Jejomar Binay in Makati City.

This was after the VCM rejected Binay’s ballot when he voted at around 7 a.m. at precinct 0550C in NB 304 in San Antonio National High School.

The machine kept rejecting his ballot after eight attempts.

The former vice president then personally went to the Comelec center to complain about the glitch.

At a press briefing, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the VCM was defective, adding that it was not only Binay’s ballot that was rejected.

Jimenez said the rejected ballots will be fed by batches to the new machine.

Binay will return to his precinct in Makati City, to be accompanied by Education and Information Division head Atty. Frances Arabe, to feed his ballot to a new VCM.

Jimenez also stressed that Comelec’s quick response to Binay’s concern should not be construed as special treatment because this is part of their measures in addressing the same concerns even in other precincts.

The poll body said it is now addressing similar vote-counting machine glitches that were reported in other precincts. (with details from Aiko Miguel)

FILE PHOTO: Former vice president Jejomar Binay (R) and son Junjun binay (L).

MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son Junjun posted bail at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged overpriced Makati Science High School building case.

Each of them posted P192,000 which comprises of three counts of falsification and four counts of graft.

Atty. Renato Bondal, the complainant of the case, said during the Senate hearing in 2014 that the building was overpriced by P862 million as the industry prevailing price then was only P470 million. — UNTV News & Rescue

MANILA, Philippines — Sandiganbayan postponed the arraignment of the two former highest officials of the government.

The graft court deferred the proceedings against former President Benigno Aquino III over charges of allegedly violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and usurpation of official functions.

The charges stemmed from the botched operation of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Mamasapano in 2015.

According to the lawyer of Aquino, they have a pending motion to quash that’s why the arraignment is canceled and rescheduled on the 15^th of February.

“Even if all allegations in the information are proved to be true, it will not be sufficient to convict,” said Atty. Romeo Fernandez, legal counsel of Aquino.

It can be recalled the said operation that targeted terrorist and bombmaker Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan and Basit Usman left 44 PNP SAF members dead.

In July 2017, the office of the Ombudsman absolved Aquino from homicide charges.

However, the Ombudsman ruled that the former president still has liability in the deaths of the SAF 44.

Based on the information of the case, Aquino let himself be influenced by then suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima in deciding on Oplan Exodus.

The Ombudsman said that Aquino violated the PNP chain of command, suspension order of the Ombudsman against Purisima, and the order then PNP officer in charge chief Leonardo Espina.

The former president posted a bail of 40,000 pesos for his temporary liberty.

Meanwhile, Malacañang has expressed optimism in Aquino’s effort to follow the rule of law in the Mamasapano case.

“On President Aquino, we’re happy that he is complying and observing the rule of law. He has entered a plea and we respect the case prosecuted at the soonest possible time,” said the presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Meanwhile, the arraignment of former Vice President Jejomar Binay was postponed as well due to his pending motion.

Binay is facing corruption charges which stemmed from the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati City parking building. — Rey Pelayo | UNTV News & Rescue