Binay ‘hurt’ by Inquirer report on AMLC findings

Vice President Jejomar Binay admits that his feelings were hurt by the Philippine Daily Inquirer report which alleged that he kept billions of pesos in joint dummy bank accounts to finance his 2010 vice presidential bid. Marc Jayson Cayabyab/INQUIRER.net

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday said his feelings were “hurt” over the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s “rehashed” report on the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)’s allegations that he kept billions of pesos in joint dummy bank accounts to finance his 2010 vice presidential bid.

In an interview with reporters before he started his motorcade around Ilocos Sur, Binay blasted the Inquirer for publishing a “template” story as part of what he claimed was a “demolition by perception” being waged by his critics.

“Ito, template na template talaga ito eh. ‘Yung isang dyaryo, hineadline na naman ako. Pagkatapos, kunyari, sinalo naman ngayon sa TV. Nandun po ang continuing demolition by perception. Ito ay hindi bago,” Binay said.

(This is already a template. One newspaper made me their headline again. TV reporters picked it up. This is the continuing demolition by perception (against me). This is nothing new.)

READ: AMLC: Binay got billions

He said he would be a hypocrite if he said he was not affected by the negative publicity.

“Pa-minsan-minsan; tao din naman ako. Magiging hipokrito din ako kung hindi ako naapektuhan d’yan. May damdamin ka din eh. Lalo na’t kung ang mga sinasabi ay walang katotohanan,” Binay said.

(I am sometimes hurt; I am only human. It’s hypocritical of me if I say I don’t get affected. I have feelings too. (And they’re hurt), especially when there is no truth to their accusations.)

Binay said the Inquirer based its news story on an outdated report by the AMLC which has admitted amendments in its findings before the Manila Regional Trial Court hearing a civil forfeiture case over Binay’s alleged ill-gotten wealth during his 20-year rule as Makati mayor.

READ: UNA says AMLC report false, outdated

“’Yun hong paliwanag namin, ‘yung sinasabing ginawa ng AMLC, nagawa na po lahat ‘yun (We have already addressed that supposed AMLC report). There’s no new report here,” Binay said.

He said his critics are behind the series of news reports meant to derail his presidential bid.

“Nakakatawa nga eh ‘yung nagsasabing hindi papasok sa mali at maruming pangangampanya, sila mismo (ang nagbibigay) ng paninira, at bintang nang bintang,” Binay said.

(It’s laughable how those who promised not engage in political mudslinging are the ones behind this demolition job and empty accusations.)

“Alam mo saan nanggagaling ‘yun, sa mga katunggali sa pulitika (These are the handiwork of my political rivals),” he added.

Binay said he hoped the Inquirer had verified the AMLC report as a “fair and honest” story.

“Sana naman, in a fair and honest report, sana naman po vinerify nila. Hindi yung hindi maganda sa nangyari sa atin. Hindi na po vinerify kung tama o mali ang sasabihin,” Binay said.

(I wish they verified it first if it was a fair and honest report. They are no longer verifying reports as long as they are against me.)

He said he expected more negative campaigning to come especially as the administration becomes more desperate to beat him in the May 9 elections.

“Yes, if will intensify. Kasi the more they became insecure, the more they are led to believe I am winning. Yun pong paninira sa akin at sa aking pamilya, ay talagang ipagpapatuloy (The denigration against me and my family will continue),” Binay said.

READ: Nancy Binay tells Inquirer: See you in court

In his campaign sortie on Tuesday, Binay called out the attention of the Inquirer three times in his campaign rallies in Santa and Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and Bangued, Abra.

“Ngayon, nasa Inquirer na naman ako! Headline na naman ako! Ito pwede nang isama sa Book of Guinness. Forty-three times, ngayon 44 na headline ako sa Inquirer. Ito naman ay puro accusations. Ladies and gentlemen, accusations are not convictions,” Binay said in his sortie in Vigan.

(I am on Inquirer again. I am their headline again. This can already be included in the Guinness Book (of World Records.) I have been a headline for 43 times, now 44, on Inquirer. These are just accusations.)

“Kung hindi ka pa nahahatulan ng hukuman, paano ka magiging kurap (If you have not been convicted by any court, how are you corrupt)?” he added.

“Because of my objective to uplift the lives of every Filipino, tinatadtad po ako at ang aking pamilya ng bintang, bintang, bintang. Ngayong araw na ito nga, headline na naman ako sa Inquirer! Bintang is not conviction,” Binay said during his sortie in Bangued, Abra.

(Because of my objective to uplift the lives of every Filipino, my family and I are being peppered with accusations. Today, I am again a headline on Inquirer. An accusation is not a conviction.)

Binay’s spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho earlier said the AMLC admitted before the Manila RTC that Binay only had one bank account – and not 242 as earlier reported to be Binay’s joint bank accounts with alleged dummies – which contained only P1.7 million and not billions of pesos.

Quicho also said the AMLC two weeks ago had asked the Manila RTC to drop JC Binay Foundation and Agrifortuna Inc. from the case, because it could not prove that these were the alleged links of Binay to his alleged dummy Gerardo Limlingan, Binay’s long-time finance officer who has gone missing since the allegations broke out.

In its March 15, 2016 Inquirer report, the AMLC said Binay stashed away billions of funds in joint accounts with alleged dummies – which he purportedly earned from the allegedly overpriced Makati car park building, Makati Science High School building, and cakes for senior citizens – to finance his 2010 vice presidential bid.

The AMLC earlier said Binay had 242 joint accounts with his alleged dummies which kept P11 billion since 2008.

The AMLC report, the Inquirer stated, said the subject accounts, especially those of Binay, and joint accounts of Gerado Limlingan Jr., Sedillo Portollano and Eduviges Baloloy showed “multiple large transactions amounting to billions of pesos coinciding with the period of construction of the New Makati Parking Building 11 and Makati Science High School, and the Joint Venture agreement with Boy Scouts.”

“They used a complicated and sophisticated system of layering funds, including the opening of multiple bank accounts under the names of close and trusted associates and entities whose officers and directors are the very same persons, and high value and frequent transactions under the control and direction of the beneficial owner, VP Binay,” said the AMLC in the Inquirer report.

Meanwhile, in its March 17, 2016 Inquirer report, the AMLC said Binay’s seven bank accounts received checks drawn from the accounts of his alleged dummies Limlingan (Binay’s finance officer), Lily Crystal, Mitzi Sedillo and Bernadette Portollano (who are Limlingan’s employees) and Baloloy (Binay’s longtime executive assistant and secretary) at the time of the construction of the Makati City parking building and Makati Science High School building from 2007 to 2014.

The AMLC report said Binay’s bank accounts had a total deposit of P293.147 million in the period 2008 to 2014.

The Inquirer was able to obtain a copy of the 62-page AMLC report, which was the result of the Ombudsman’s investigations on alleged irregularities in the construction of the purportedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II and Makati Science High School when Binay was still mayor. IDL

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