Elusive Binay confidant on housing payroll

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines—The elusive Gerry Limlingan is on the government’s payroll all along.

Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig Fund) president Darlene Berberabe on Thursday said that Limlingan, a trusted aide of Vice President Jejomar Binay, is a consultant of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Binay chairs the HUDCC.

Berberabe made the statement at the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee on alleged Makati anomalies during Binay’s term as mayor. This prompted Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III to seek her help in locating Limlingan.

The subcommittee has been having trouble locating and serving a subpoena to Limlingan, whom it wants to appear at its hearing so he could respond to allegations implicating him in alleged anomalies in Makati City.

Pimentel said the HUDCC likely knew Limlingan’s correct address since he was its consultant.

He asked Berberabe if he could course through her the panel’s request for Limlingan’s personal data or details.

Berberabe said she could relay the request.

Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado has alleged that Limlingan is one of the persons to whom he delivered cash meant for Binay when the Vice President was mayor. The cash supposedly came from kickbacks from infrastructure projects in the city.

Berberabe mentioned Limlingan upon questioning by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who wanted to know if she knew him.

She said that since Limlingan was an HUDCC consultant, he had joined some of the meetings of Pag-Ibig. The last time she talked to him was before the subcommittee hearings began.

The Vice President earlier described Limlingan as a close friend, after Limlingan was wounded in an ambush in 2010.

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