By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — Former Makati City mayor and now Vice President Jejomar Binay Sr. got 13-percent kickbacks from all infrastructure projects in the city, a former Makati official claimed.
Ernesto Mercado, former vice mayor, yesterday appeared before a Senate investigation on the controversial Makati car park building.
“Sa bawat project sa Makati, ang aming mayor nakikinabang ng 13 percent,” getting as much as P10 million in kickbacks, said Mercado.
He said he would personally bring bags containing the kickbacks from former city engineer Nelson Morales to Binay and his son, then councilor and now Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr.
“Maraming beses na ako mismo ang naghahatid sa kanilang bahay,” he said, adding that the amount came from contractors.
It is “high time” the vice president directly respond to the allegations against him, the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee said.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chair of the subcommittee, said they will send Binay an invitation to attend the next investigation at 10 a.m. on Sept. 25.
The committee will send Binay the invitation “early next week,” said Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano said he is open to conducting the next investigation at the Coconut Palace, the vice president’s official residence.
“I will make the motion for him if he is intimidated by the physical setting at the Senate,” he added.
If Binay fails to attend the hearing next week, “he loses his chance to explain his side,” said Cayetano.
“Huwag lang nila sasabihin na one-sided ang report na ipapadala sa Ombudsman,” he stressed. “Utang natin sa publiko na sumagot ng diretso.”/PN
