MONEY-MAKER A portion of payments for Hillmarc’s, which built the Makati Science High School building. PHOTOS BY GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
TRAILS of checks and cash deposits show that portions of the amount paid by the Makati City government to Hillmarc’s Construction for infrastructure projects ended up in bank accounts of Vice President Jejomar Binay and his alleged dummies, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The AMLC report of its 11-month investigation of the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Binay showed the Vice President had seven bank accounts that received deposits while he was Makati mayor from his alleged dummies identified as Gerardo Limlingan, Lily H. Crystal, Bernadette Portollano, Mitzi O. Sedillo and Eduviges Baloloy.
“The statement of account and documents disclosed that among the deposits made to these accounts were checks drawn from the accounts jointly held or controlled by Limlingan, Crystal, Sedillo, Portollano and Baloloy,” according to the 62-page report, a copy of which was provided to the Inquirer on Monday.
The AMLC inquiry was prompted by the investigation of Binay and his family conducted by the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee. Started in November 2014, it recommended the filing of criminal and civil forfeiture cases against the Binays.
Bank deposits
The deposits outlined in the AMLC report included:
Aug. 11, 2009, a Metrobank account of Magreth Property Holdings one check deposited signed by Limlingan and Sedillo to Binay’s BDO savings account with P25 million.
Feb. 8, 2010, a total of 16 checks worth P28, 285,000 million from Limlingan, Crystal and Sedillio.
May 5, 2010, BDO account of Baloloy and Limlingan with P25 million.
April 1, 2011, checks from Sedillo, Portollano and Limlingan worth P956,751.
April 1-20, 2011, Agrifortuna in three checks worth P10 million.
April 20, 2011, checks from Limlingan, Crystal, Sedillo 4 totaling P1.2 million.
Feb. 19, to April 29, 2010 four checks from Limlingan, Sedillo and Crystal totaling P25 million.
Feb. 19, 2010, one check again from Limlingan, Sedillo and Crystal for P5 million.
March 12 to 15, 2010, two checks from Baloloy and Limlingan worth P70 million.
March 19 to 22, 2010, Limlingan with two checks totaling P59,475,000.
In all, the total amount deposited in Binay’s bank accounts was P249,923,790—P90, 448,790 in BDO and P159,475,000 in Metrobank.
Limlingan, Baloloy
The report showed that of the total payment of P1.24 billion made to Hillmarc’s by the Makati City government ending on Dec. 18, 2012, P413, 490,699.04 went to the joint accounts of Limlingan and Baloloy.
On June 10, 2009, Binay opened at BDO Unibank, savings and current accounts with an initial deposit of P25,000. the report said. On Sept. 3, Binay executed a special power of attorney to Limlingan, Sedillo and Crystal giving them full authority to manage his two BDO accounts.
Based on the AMLC report, Binay’s bank accounts had a total deposit of P293,147,143.37 covering the years 2008-2014.
Binay maintained multiple accounts, either single or joint with others, particularly Limlingan and Baloloy, the report said.
“Hundreds of transactions are recorded for these accounts in various banks throughout the period of construction of the Makati City parking building and the Makati Science High School building from 2007-2014,” the report said.
The Makati City parking building, landed in bank accounts owned by Vice President Jejomar Binay, according to a report by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
The Binay accounts listed in the AMLC report were Land Bank of the Philippines Savings Account No. 3451003975; Banco de Oro Savings Account No. 6260017382; Metrobank Current Account No. 7231515620; Landbank Savings Account No. 3451003975; Landbank Savings Account No. 3451009213; Philippine National Bank Savings Account No. 452925300013; and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Savings Account No. 1012067833.
The AMLC said the statements of accounts and documents disclosed that among the deposits made to these accounts were checks drawn from the accounts jointly held and or controlled by Limlingan, Crystal, Sedillo, Portollano and Baloloy among others.
Multiple accounts
The report also said that Binay maintained multiple accounts either single or joint with others, particularly Limlingan and Baloloy.
Hundreds of transactions were recorded in these accounts in various banks throughout the period of construction of the Makati City parking building and the Makati Science High School building.
The AMLC report also noted that in addition to the two identified Binay BDO accounts, multiple joint accounts were likewise held by Limlingan, Crystal and Sedillo in various banks.
Limlingan is Binay’s longtime finance officer, Crystal and Sedillo works for Limlingan. Baloloy, a relative of Binay, has been his longtime secretary and executive assistant.