MANILA, Philippines — The wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay had allegedly signed a document identifying herself as the owner of the controversial property in Batangas, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado told a Senate hearing on Thursday.
Testifying at the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee on Thursday, Mercado said Binay’s wife and former Makati Mayor Elenita Binay signed a letter dated September 10, 1997 allegedly pertaining to the “architectural design services “ and “scheduled of fees” for the construction of a rest house in Rosario town, in Batangas province.
Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
“Ang total po nyan, nagkakahalaga ng P350,000….Yan po ay pinirmahan.. Nakalagay po dyan ay conforme o sinasang-ayunan yung nasabing proposal. Ang nakapirma po dyan, owner Dra. Elenita Binay,” Mercado said, referring to the letter.
“Yan po ang nagpapatunay na sya ang kumuha ng arkitekto at sya ang nagsasabi na sya ang may ari…” he said.
Mercado also showed another letter-proposal from the former engineer of the city government, Renato Mandrique, for the purchase of two units of grinder discs to be used at the Agri-Fortuna farm.
He said Mandrique made another request for new water tanks for a piggery in Rosario, Batangas.
The Vice President’s camp had earlier admitted that he had a piggery farm in the controversial property in the province but said he divested his interest of the farm in 2010.
While he said he was not sure that the city government was the one that paid for all the expenses, Mercado noted that the price quotations were all addressed to the city hall.
“Hindi po ako siguradong sigurado na Makati ang nagbayad pero the fact na naka-address po yan sa Makati…Ang sinasabi ko po dyan yun pong quotation ay naka address sa engineer ng Makati,” he said.
The Vice President had repeatedly denied owning the Batangas property.
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