CA freeze order details ties that lead to Binay

The Court of Appeals (CA) freeze order on May 11 shows that the companies that won contracts in Makati City had ties with Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family.

As stated in the CA order, the corporate secretary of Greenergy Holdings Inc. is Martin Subido, a senior partner in the Subido, Pagente, Certeza, Mendoza and Binay (SPCMB) law firm, along with Makati City Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay.

Subido is also a director of Earthright Holdings Inc., one of three major stockholders of Greenergy together with Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corp. and Three Star Capital Ltd.

Earthright, owned by businessman Antonio L. Tiu, shares the same address as the SPCMB law firm at Legaspi Village in Makati City. The order also said that Claro Certeza, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay’s lawyer, is a partner of the same law firm.

Greenergy, a company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), previously “engaged in the business of providing renewable energy, but branched out to agro-tourism.”

SEC records show that Tiu is the Greenergy president. He set up the company after purchasing Sunchamp.

The Senate investigation of alleged irregularities in the construction of Makati City Hall Building II revealed that Sunchamp owns and operates the 350-hectare Sunchamp Agri-Tourism Park, purportedly owned by the Vice President. It has a piggery farm, gardens, a cock farm, a man-made lagoon, a swimming pool and a huge house.

Millennium Food Chains

Another company alleged to be a dummy of the Binays is Millennium Food Chains Corp. According to the order, Erlinda Chong is the company chair and president, while Kimtun Chong and Irene Chong are treasurer and corporate secretary, respectively. Listed directors are Kimsfer Chong, Sen. Nancy Binay, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.

“It appears that Millennium is a business entity of the Chong family with three children of VP Binay acting as directors,” the document said.

Millennium provides catering services as well as operates restaurants, coffee shops, refreshment parlors cocktail lounges, the order said. It was registered with the SEC in 1997 and holds office at Comembo Commercial Complex on J.P. Rizal Extension in Makati.

Also in the CA order is Omni Security Investigation Inc. (Omni), a security and janitorial services company tagged in Senate hearings by businessman Jose Orillaza as another dummy that won contracts with the Makati government.

Limlingan’s wife

Orillaza was the president from 1999 to 2010, when he was replaced by Marguerite Lichnock, wife of Vice President Binay’s longtime aide and financial officer Gerry Limlingan. But before taking over the company, Lichnock entered the firm as a stockholder and director in 2005.

Subido, who holds positions in the alleged dummy firms of Vice President Binay, has been the Omni assistant corporate secretary since 2010.

Omni corporate secretary Bernadette Portollano was among those recommended to be cited for contempt by the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee for ignoring at least five subpoenas.

Sources: CA freeze order, SEC, Inquirer Archives