Fact Check: 'Hindi po totoo na ako po ay maraming lupa' - Binay

During the PiliPinas 2016 Debates on Sunday, Vice President Jejomar Binay was grilled about the real estate properties that he owned.

Defending himself, Binay said he didn't own many properties.

"Hindi po totoo na ako po ay maraming lupa," he said.

But a quick look at his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth in 2014 reveals that he owns 12 residential and agricultural lands.

As of his 2014 SALN, the assessed value of the 12 properties totalled to P9.41 million, while the current fair market value is P40.75 million.

These include:

• Olo-olo, Lobo, Batangas - agricultural (land)
• Balaytigue, Nasugbu, Batangas - residential (land)
• Cabagan, Isabela - residential (land)
• San Pascual, Batangas - agricultural (land)
• Mariveles, Bataan - agricultural (fruit land)
• Liyang, Pilar, Bataan - residential/agricultural (land with improvement)
• Shangri-la Subdivision, Calamba, Laguna - residential (land with improvement)
• Alabang Hills, Cupang, Muntinlupa - residential (land)
• Victoria Homes, Tunasan, Muntinlupa/Laguna - residential (land)
• San Antonio Village, Makati City - residential (land with improvement)
• San Antonio Village, Makati City - residential (improvement)
• San Antonio Village, Makati City -residential (land)

Binay’s 2014 properties include various agricultural lands in Bataan and Batangas, eight residential lands with improvements within and outside Metro Manila, and a residential/agricultural land with improvement in Liyang, Pilar, Bataan.

Before his 2014 SALN, Binay declared this land in Bataan as "Liang Pilar, Mariveles, Bataan."

However, the vice president separated these lands into two entries – the aforementioned land in Liyang, Pilar and a fruit land in Mariveles.

Pilar and Mariveles are different municipalities in the province.

The vice president also declared an Alfonso, Cavite residential lot from 1998 until his 2011 SALN, which his camp claimed were sold in December 2012. This property was no longer in his list of real properties in his 2012 SALN.

The declared acquisition cost of his 13 properties totalled to at least P16.93 million.

VERDICT: Do 12 properties count as 'marami'?

Curiously, Binay's answers to questions about his real estate holdings have not been consistent.

In an interview with Mike Enriquez on Super Radyo dzBB last January 26, Binay was quoted saying “At karamihan ho ng aking real estate properties, eto ho ay namana ko ho sa aking magulang.” This was during the discussion in the alleged Binay Farm in Rosario, Batangas. He denied owning the farm.

In a special report by GMA News Research last week, it was pointed out that it seemed that his statement during the radio interview contradicted his own Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Of the 13 properties Binay’s declared since his first SALN in 1989, only two were inherited – a separate residential lands in Cabagan, Isabela and Mariveles, Bataan.

Sought for a clarification, Joey Salgado, the communications director of UNA, said that the vice president may be referring to land area rather than per property basis.

During the debate, Binay denied that he said that most of his lands were inherited.

"Alam mo Mike, tatlong dekada - ang haba ng panahon na yan. Pero ‘di ko natatandaan na sinabi ko na yung aking mga lupa eh puro mana,” the vice president said.

"Yung iba naman dun, nabili namin. At may kakayanan naman kaming makabili. ‘Di naman porke’t kami po'y nasa pamahalaan, wala po kaming magagawa para po makabili ng pag-aari," he added, noting that he inherited land from both his mother and father. —JST, GMA News

Editor's Note: GMA News Online is posting a series of articles fact-checking candidates' statements at the PiliPinas Debates 2016.