Binay dummies run firms – new witness

Vice President Jejomar Binay (Facebook photo)

MANILA – A business man revealed during a senate investigation that he served as a dummy for Vice President Jejomar Binay during his term as Makati City’s mayor.

Jose Orillaza, former president of Omni Security Investigation and General Services, testified during the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee investigation of the alleged corruption in the Makati city government during Binay’s term.

Orillaza said that he served as a dummy in a security and janitorial services company that won contracts with the Makati City government.

He also revealed that Gerardo “Gerry” Limlingan, Binay’s longtime aide had work at the company, though his name did not appear in the company’s incorporation papers.

Orillaza was not among the list of witnesses scheduled to testify in the hearing but he was mentioned by former Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado as one of the dummies aiding Binay in concealing his assets.

Mercado also mentioned the name of Limlingan as one of the fronts whom Binay used in hiding his assets

Among the properties reported to be owned and hidden by Binay is the 8,877-square-meter lot in Barangay (village) Comembo in Makati with a current market value estimated by Mercado to be more than P1 billion.

Binay, however, denied that he owns the property.

In a financial disclosure and income tax returns released by Binay, his net worth was only at P60 million at the end of 2013.

Binay’s spokesman, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, also denied that Binay had no dummy corporations or investments under other people’s names.

“It is for Mercado to have,” Remulla said.

Orillaza, however said that the reason why he accepted Limlingan’s participation is because Binay was part of the corporation.

“He was with us in the corporation … Mayor Binay,” Orillaza said. “It was an internal agreement between us right from the start.”

Orillaza also admitted that he was indeed Binay’s dummy when asked by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

“That would confirm the practice or the modus operandi of Vice President Binay,” Trillanes said.