‘Mercado visiting kin in US, not fleeing PH’
Former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado is not fleeing or abandoning the Senate inquiry into the allegedly corrupt activities in Makati involving Vice President Jejomar Binay, according to two senators.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee was aware of Mercado’s departure for the United States on Tuesday, and expected him to return for the resumption of the inquiry in January.
“He’s definitely coming back anytime there’s a hearing,” Cayetano said.
Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV added: “He’s definitely not fleeing. I believe he timed his visit with his family while we’re tackling the budget.”
Mercado, the key witness at the Senate hearings where he has accused Binay of rigging the bidding and taking kickbacks from Makati infrastructure projects and then hiding his ill-gotten assets, reportedly left for Los Angeles on Tuesday night to attend to family matters.
Trillanes said he was informed of Mercado’s leaving. “I don’t know the exact details but I believe he’ll be back in December,” he said in a text message.
Without confirming or denying Mercado’s departure, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said there was nothing wrong with Mercado, who is one of the whistle-blowers under the government’s Witness Protection Program, traveling while under WPP protection.
“It’s not forbidden under the Witness Protection Program law [for] a covered witness to leave because we are no jailers. As much as we can, we discourage them from traveling but, of course, if they need to, we can’t prevent them [from leaving],” De Lima told reporters.
De Lima declined to reveal any information about Mercado’s trip, citing the confidentiality rule in the WPP law, Republic Act No. 6981 or the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act of 1991. She also refused to disclose if Mercado was being given security on the trip. “This is essentially because of security reasons, that’s why giving information is prohibited,” she said.
In a radio interview from the United States, Mercado said he had to go to the US to attend to his ailing wife. He said he was given leave to be in the US from Nov. 18 to 30.
“My leaving [for the US] was sudden, but I asked permission from the Department of Justice. As head of the family, I must attend to my wife,” he said.
Binay challenged anew
From Los Angeles, Mercado on Friday issued a challenge to Binay to a debate. Like Binay who challenged Trillanes to a debate to clear his name, but later withdrew, Mercado said he wanted the same thing after the Binay camp turned the tables on him and accused him of also amassing ill-gotten wealth and using dummies to hide it.
“I am challenging Vice President Jejomar Binay that we face off at the Senate so the people will know who is lying and who is telling the truth. If Binay is unwilling to face the Senate, I challenge him to debate in any platform or forum, at any time, so the public will know the truth,” he said in a text message in Filipino.
He said he would cut his vacation short and come home if Binay accepts his challenge.
“I am ready to answer all the accusations and issues that Binay and his allies are throwing at me. I hope he is ready to face me before the public and that he is also ready to answer all the issues raised against him,” Mercado said.
Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) alleged that the former vice mayor had himself allegedly amassed P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth with the use of dummies.
Mercado and Binay had a falling out after the Vice President reneged on his promise to let his vice mayor run for mayor, fielding his son instead in the 2010 Makati mayoral race.
Senate face-off
Cayetano said he was supporting Mercado’s challenge to face off with Binay in the Senate hearing. If this happens, the subcommittee members would merely listen as observers, he said.
“Who better to have a discussion of what is true or not true than the accuser and the accused?” he said.
At last week’s hearing, Mercado read an affidavit of a certain Ariel Olivar who claimed that Binay owned a 150-square meter unit at The Peak condominium in Makati.
UNA responded by claiming that Olivar was one of Mercado’s fronts in the companies that Mercado allegedly used to corner P1 billion in government contracts and amass businesses and real estate properties, including an entire island in Palawan province.
Olivar, who said he was a friend of Mercado, maintained that his name was used as the owner of a condominium unit belonging to Binay.
Corrupt or incompetent?
If the allegations against Mercado are untrue, then Binay is lying, Cayetano said.
“Assuming it’s true that he (Mercado) has also amassed property—remember he admitted being on the take—I’d like to reiterate my question: What kind of public official is Binay? Corrupt public official or incompetent official or both?” he said.
“Everyone knows that the person who signs the documents, makes the decision in City Hall is the mayor. In fact, in many places, we look at the vice mayor as a spare tire… But in Makati, everyone knew that Mercado was co-running the city with Binay,” Cayetano said.
“So, what’s the truth? Was he the front man of Binay and doing all of these on Binay’s instructions, benefiting Binay. Or, is Binay that incompetent that he doesn’t know billions of pesos are being stolen left and right, right under his nose?” he said.
No debate with ‘liars’
The Binay camp last night quickly thumbed down the debate challenge from Mercado.
“The Vice President prefers to focus on his work than debate with liars, perjurers and paid hacks of the desperate opposition to the Vice President,” Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, a spokesperson for Binay, said in a statement.
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