Key witness in Batangas property sale faces Senate contempt, detention

The 350-hectare property allegedly owned by the Binay family

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority  Leader  Alan  Peter Cayetano  has threatened to cite with contempt and detain a certain Laureano Gregorio, the alleged former owner of the  controversial Sunchamp Agri-Tourism Park in Batangas province for failing to appear before the Senate despite repeated summons.

It is this same property that Vice President  Jejomar Binay now reportedly owns.

Gregorio was among those repeatedly summoned by the  Senate  blue ribbon  subcommittee to attend  its  investigation to shed light on the  real ownership of the  property.

“He’s  an essential resource  person so if we don’t accept  his  showcase  order,  I’m now putting  on record that I’ll move that he be held in  contempt and an order of detention be issued,”  Cayetano said.

The senator made the manifestation   after  Senator  Aqulino  “Koko” Pimentel III, chairman of the subcommittee, directed  Gregorio and other invited  resource persons to issue  a cause order explaining  their absence  in the hearing.

It was  Gregorio  who allegedly sold the property to Chinese-Filipino businessman  Antonio  Tiu,  who has been tagged as the  Vice President’s dummy.

But  Tiu  and  Binay repeatedly denied the allegation.

Tiu even submitted  to the subcommittee a copy of  a memorandum   of agreement  between him and   Gregorio pertaining to the sale of a 150-hectare  property, which he said he bought for P446 million.

Binay’s erstwhile ally, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, had   claimed  that the property, which he said was 350 hectares, belonged to the Vice President.

RELATED STORIES

Antonio Tiu on Binay farm: I have rights but no title

Binay farm 350-ha estate

Binay on expose of ownership: It’s a dud