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Trillanes: VP Binay linked to listed owner of Batangas estate
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday bared a supposed link between Vice President Jejomar Binay and the real estate company that the Binay camp said owned the Batangas property, where the former Makati mayor allegedly built mansions, gardens and various farms.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing on alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, a former Binay ally, alleged that the Vice President owned the Rosario property that he said measured 350 hectares.
He added that Binay had two mansions and other multimillion-peso amenities built in the land.
It was also revealed during the hearing that Sunchamp Real Estate Development Coroporation was using the property as an agri-tourism park, something that Trillanes found suspicious.
The senator noted that on August 5, 2014, he and other government officials attended the inauguration of the agri-tourism park in Rosario, not knowing that the gathering and the property were somehow linked to the Vice President.
He added that Binay had two mansions and other multimillion-peso amenities built in the land.
It was also revealed during the hearing that Sunchamp Real Estate Development Coroporation was using the property as an agri-tourism park, something that Trillanes found suspicious.
The senator noted that on August 5, 2014, he and other government officials attended the inauguration of the agri-tourism park in Rosario, not knowing that the gathering and the property were somehow linked to the Vice President.
"Yung pavement, yung kalye e may lumot or luma na," Trillanes said.
"Nagtataka ako bakit ngayon lang ito ni-launch. Well, apparently ito na nga. Naglilinis na ito. Ito na ang isang patunay na talagang nagre-resort sa dummy itong si Vice President Binay," he added.
Trillanes said the personalities behind the park pushed through with the inauguration even when a storm was affecting the area.
Trillanes' allegations
Trillanes said the personalities behind the park pushed through with the inauguration even when a storm was affecting the area.
“Mayroon silang intention na talagang gamitin ang iba’t ibang opisyal ng gobyerno to make it appear legitimate," Trillanes claimed.
"Nagtataka ako dahil tinuloy 'yung launch kahit bumabagyo si Typhoon Jose," he added.
Sought for comment, Antonio Tiu, CEO of Greenergy Holdings Inc. that owns Sunchamp, denied allegations that his companies were being used as dummies by Binay to hide the Vice President's ownership of certain assets.
“This is a baseless accusation and is unfair to a legitimate businessman like us,” Tiu told GMA News Online in a text message.
Tiu, however, said the Rosario property actually was an agri-tourism hub owned by his company.
“If it is Sunchamp, then it belongs to Greenergy,” Tiu added, referring to the land in question.
In a 2013 disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Greenergy said it executed a subscription agreement for 20 percent of outstanding capital stock of Sunchamp for P55 million.
The Binay camp denied ownership of the property, saying the Vice President at one time only leased a portion of the asset for a piggery. He has since divested himself of the business.
The Binay camp denied ownership of the property, saying the Vice President at one time only leased a portion of the asset for a piggery. He has since divested himself of the business.
Trillanes' allegations
The senator, during the hearing, said one Martin Subido was listed as director, corporate secretary and compliance officer of Tiu's Greenergy Holdings.
Subido is also a director of Earthright Holdings Inc., the largest shareholder of Greenergy.
Sunchamp owns the property in Rosario, Batangas where JCB Farms, a piggery established by Binay in 1994, is located. The piggery occupies nine hectares of the property.
Joey Salgado, Binay’s media officer, earlier said Binay divested from the swine-raising business in 2010 when he was elected as Vice President.
Trillanes claimed Subido is one of the lawyers of Vice President Binay and a law partner of Binay’s daughter, Makati Representative Mari-len Abigail Binay.
Subido is a senior partner in Subido, Pagente, Certeza, Mendoza & Binay (SPCMB) Law Office.
Representing Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. – the Vice President's son – in the Senate hearing is lawyer Claro Certeza, who is president and managing director/partner of SPCMB.
Trillanes also claimed that SPCMB and Earthright Holdings Inc. share the same address: 3rd floor, Value Point Executive Building, 227 Salcedo Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City.
Trillanes said he now sees the subcommittee hearing as an opportunity for the company to rise and render it as a legitimate corporate entity.
Use of dummies
"Ang sinasabi ninyong pavilion ay doon nga tumutuloy ang mga bisita sa opening na 'yan. Parang pinapalabas kasi noong launching na it was new. I was surprised na 'yung mga pavement at kalye at may lumot at luma na,” Trillanes noted.
The senator alleged that what happened was proof that Binay was resorting to the use of dummies.
Trillanes then asked the subcommittee to subpoena Tiu.
“I move to subpoena... Tiu at tatanungin natin paano napatayo ito. Akala nila maimbitahan lang nila ang mga pulitiko magiging protektado na. Hindi komo may picture ka kasama ako, abswelto ka. Gigisahin natin hanggang magsabi ng totoo,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also requested that the financial records of the companies involved be summoned together with Tiu.
Tiu is also the chief executive officer, president and chairman of AgriNurture that was formerly Mabuhay 2000 Enterprise, the company that allegedly supplied hospital beds to Ospital ng Makati, Cayetano noted.
“Sa COA report ni Ms. Heidi Mendoza, itong Mabuhay 2000 ay supplier ng mga kama ng Ospital ng Makati na napakita ang overprice," said Cayatano.
"Ang head nito ay Mr. Antonio Tiu. Mabuhay Enterprise is a joint venture of Taiwanese and several Filipino businessmen,” he added.
Subido denies allegations
In an interview with reporters, Subido denied he and the company are being used by Binay as dummies.
“That cannot be because these companies are publicly-listed companies and all disclosures are made. The company is audited by one of the top four auditors of the country," Subido told reporters.
"We have foreign investors coming in into the company or are part of the company. So, definitely this is not a dummy corporation or a fly-by-night corporation, because Greenergy Holdings, AgriNurture Inc. are both listed companies and they follow the strictest corporate governance standards being listed companies,” Subido claimed.
Greenergy is not exclusively dealing in renewable energy, but has diversified investments in agriculture, agricultural bank, an information technology, he said.
“There are different businesses that Greenergy is involved in. It is not what is being presented (in the hearing) that it is in renewable energy, then suddenly it’s into agri-tourism.
In fact, Greenergy Holdings also has business in agriculture, through its investments in AgriNurture,” Subido added.
Greenergy has tie-ups with non-governmental institutions to further develop the area in Rosario as an agri-tourism development, he said. – VS/NB/ELR, GMA News
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