Mercado owned ‘dummy’ firms, alleged Binay bagman claims

THE FORMER aide and financial officer of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday claimed it was  former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado who originally owned the two “dummy” corporations that won anomalous contracts with the Makati City government when Binay was city mayor.

Gerardo Limlingan, finally breaking his silence since being dragged into alleged irregularities in Makati city government projects, disclosed that Mercado was the original owner of Omni Security Investigation & General Services,  and Meriras Realty & Development Corp.

Limlingan, who remains in hiding since corruption allegations against Binay surfaced, asked the Court of Appeals last week to lift the freeze order on his bank accounts.

During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearings on the alleged corruption involving Binay, his family and associates, Mercado alleged that Binay, when he was mayor, used dummies such as Omni to hide ownership of his assets.

The former vice mayor claimed Omni cornered most of the security and janitorial and maintenance services for the city government.

Limlingan, however, said Mercado should be the one to be asked about the contracts.

“Contrary to the false accusations of Mercado, Omni and Meriras were originally Mercado’s companies. It was Mercado who incorporated and managed the business and affairs [of] the foregoing companies until the year 2010 when he sold his shares to [me] as payment for the loan extended by the [me] to him,” Limlingan’s motion stated.