Sen. Binay to ex-vice mayor Mercado: Are you possessed?

Senator Nancy Binay and former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines —  Senator Nancy Binay lashed  out at former  Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto  Mercado,  who she said  might have been “possessed” when he accused   her family of receiving  millions  of pesos in kickbacks.

In his testimony  at the Senate blue ribbon  committee on  Thursday, Mercado  detailed how he personally delivered  kickbacks to Vice President  Jejomar Binay  when he was the city mayor, and to other family members, including the senator.

But  Senator Binay strongly  denied   the  allegations, saying the  only thing that she  got from  Mercado, who happens to be her godfather, was  a wedding  gift.

“Wala siguro (maybe none),”  she said  when asked if there was a single incident where she met and  accepted something from  the former vice mayor.

“The only time he gave me a gift was during my wedding. Wedding gift…Parang kutsara  ata yung gift niya sa akin (I think his gift to me was a set of spoons),”  she said.

The senator said she was saddened that the Senate  was being used as a venue to malign  her family by  people who want to advance  their own personal  interests.

Asked if the Binays would file charges against  their accuser, Senator Binay said they have yet to study the matter but admitted being hurt by false allegations.

“Parang sandali hindi na ito nakakatawa, masasakit na  yung mga binabato nilang alegasyon (Wait, this is not funny anymore; now the allegations they are throwing at us hurt),”  she said.

Asked again if she had any message for Mercado,  Senator Binay said: “Siguro ipagdadasal ko na lang sya na ma-enlighten at talagang magsabi na lang sya ng katotohanan baka nasasapian kasi (Maybe I’ll just pray for him that he may be enlightened and that he would just tell the truth, because he may be possessed).”

 Originally posted at 05:21 pm | September 11, 2014

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