Binays suspect aerial survey done on Batangas property

Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –Just as an aerial survey was done to expose the Nueva Ecija estate of controversial Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima, the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay is suspecting that the same is being done to the family’s Batangas property.

Employees at JCB Farms, a piggery and flower farm business owned by the family of Vice President Jejomar Binay, claimed that a helicopter hovered over the property in Rosario town on Thursday last week, Joey Salgado, head of the media affairs of the Office of the Vice President said on Monday.

“The said helicopter flew around the property for about 20 minutes. According to the employees, this was the first time that such an incident happened,” Salgado said in a statement.

Binay and his family currently face corruption charges over the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall 2 parking building. Vice President Binay has repeatedly snubbed the Senate inquiry on the issue, and has instead made his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

“We will not be surprised if in the coming days, video footage or photos of the property will be circulated in media and perhaps even presented in the Senate sub-committee hearing alleging that Vice President Binay is the owner of the said property,” Salgado said.

He explained that The JCB Farms is a mere tenant of the nine-hectare property in Rosario town.

“We are sorry to disappoint our detractors. Allow us to reiterate what the lawyers of the Vice President told media in their presentation on the (SALN) of the Vice President and his spouse, former mayor Elenita S. Binay. In 1994, the Vice President started a piggery business in Rosario, Batangas through a sole proprietorship under the name JCB Farms. JCB Farms is duly registered in the BIR–Rosario, Batangas office,” Salgado said, in an attempt to preempt possible misconceptions on the Binays.

“The Leasehold Improvements introduced by JCB Farms are duly reported in its annual audited financial statements and in the tax declarations duly filed with the appropriate local government unit. A flower shop business owned by Dr. Binay (Blooms and Bouquet) has also been sourcing its flower requirements in a flower farm in Rosario, Batangas. The piggery and flower farm both explain the Vice President and his family’s visibility in Rosario. JCB Farms earned for the Vice President an additional net income of P44,350,921.88 from 1994 to 2010. During said period, the Vice President paid taxes amounting to P15,889,581.83,” Salgado said.

After the 2010 elections, the Vice President disposed of his business interests for a profit in JCB Farms as well as his investments in shares of stocks. He initially invested P400,000.00 in stocks in 1994, Salgado added.

No comment from Palace

When asked about the alleged aerial survey, Malacanang declined to comment.

“We defer to the Vice President and his family to respond to these allegations of corruption,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told INQUIRER.net.

He did not respond to questions about the tactic of using aerial surveys on the properties of government officials – if they welcome such initiatives for the sake of transparency or if they feel that it is already an invasion of privacy. – With a report from Kristine Angeli Sabillo

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