Mercado farm, resort in Laguna, shut down July 15

Former Vice mayor of Makati Ernesto Mercado. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LAGUNA, Philippines — The former ally-turned-accuser of Vice President Jejomar Binay himself owned a farm and a resort in this town, although his seemed like a drop in the bucket compared to the 350-hectare estate Binay allegedly owned.

Former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, who blew the whistle on supposed anomalies in Makati, owned the Grand Villa Resort and Butterfly Center, which, according to online advertisements, was a 4-ha resort with a butterfly garden, a mini zoo, swimming pools, seven villas and function rooms located in Barangay (village) Tranca.

Another online advertisement said the facility was inaugurated in November 2005.

But what the Philippine Daily Inquirer found when it visited the facility on Thursday was an empty and closed compound with a grass lawn that seemed neglected. A sign that used to be outside its gates was also gone.

A male caretaker said the resort closed almost three months ago, on July 15.

Some residents, including tricycle driver Christian Buhayo, were surprised to learn the resort was already closed.

“I just drove a few guests here two weeks ago. Perhaps they weren’t guests but employees,” Buhayo said.

Another resort caretaker, who gave his name only as Jeric, said he was not told why the resort was shut down.

He said Mercado seldom visited the place since the Senate investigation began. “Only a few of us (employees) were retained,” Jeric said.

Records from the Bay assessor’s office showed that a 1,491-square-meter commercial building (with an assessed value of P6,364,800) was registered under the names of Ernesto and Juanita Mercado of No. 23 Gen. Arellano St., Rembo, Makati City.

The building stands on a 15,668-sq.m. “agricultural” property (assessed value P67,580), also under the names of Ernesto and Juanita.

Another property was a 2,900-sq.m. lot (assessed value P661,500) classified as “residential and unimproved residential” under the name of Jerome Mercado.

The records did not indicate Ernesto’s relations with Juanita and Jerome but the properties were adjoining lots in Barangay Tranca.

The properties were first assessed in 2008. Municipal records also showed taxes had been regularly paid since.

Mercado was Makati vice mayor from 2001 to 2010. At a Senate hearing, Mercado admitted receiving kickbacks for city government projects.

In July, a complaint of plunder was filed against Binay in the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the supposedly overpriced Makati parking building, prompting a Senate investigation into his property.

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