The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay Sr. and his son, former Makati City Mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay Jr. of graft and falsification of public documents linked to the alleged rigged bidding for the PHP1.3 billion contracts for the construction of the Makati Science High School.

The anti-graft court’s Special Fifth Division dismissed the charges against the two former Makati City mayors after granting the demurrer to evidence the two accused filed separately last year.

Also cleared were their 16 co-accused who were either city hall employees or contractors involved in the allegedly graft-tainted deal.

The fallout of the controversial case was believed to have resulted to the defeat of both father and son in their respective political endeavors during the 2016 national elections.

Aside from the Binays, the Sandiganbayan also admitted the demurrer filed by the following accused: Marjorie De Veyra, Pio Kenneth Dasal, Lorenza Amores, Leonila Querijero, Efren Canlas, Julius Ramos, Nelia Barlis, Norman Flores, Giovanni Condes, Rodel Nayve, Ralph LIberato, Ulysses Orienza, Gerardo San Gabriel, Raydes Pestaño, Eleno Mendoza and Virginia Garcia.

Promulgated on December 15, the 86-page Sandiganbayan resolution declared that the prosecution was unable to support the charges of conspiracy, bad faith, gross inexcusable negligence and manifest partiality the accused allegedly committed in the awarding and implementation of the project.

The respondents were accused of seven counts of violqtion of Sectioin 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and six counts of falsification of public documents.

In the resolution authored by Associate Justice Rafael Lagos, the Fifth Division stated: “All the purported key witnesses for the prosecution had a critical flaw: they lacked direct, firsthand knowledge of the truth regarding the charges against all of the accused.”

Lagos headed the division with Associate Justices Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Kevin Vivero as members.

The division rejected the testimonies of witnesses as having “no probative value” adding that these deserved “scant consideration from this court.”

The anti-graft court magistrates also noted the absence of adverse audit observations by the Commission on Audit in connection with the bidding and awarding of the contracts.

“Throughout the construction of six phases of the ten-storey MSHS building, not to mention the architectural and engineering services provided therefor, not one adverse finding from COA was issued,” the division noted.

It further criticized the Office of the Ombudsman that filed the charges as it ”failed to render any report of overpricing” of the project.