Only Binays have motive to harm me, former ally says

Only Vice President Jejomay Binay and his family have the motive to do him harm, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday.

Mercado, who earlier testified that the Vice President benefited from the overpricing of the P2.5-billion Makati City Hall Building 2, said that Binay would be the only one who'd be responsible if anything untoward happened to him.

Upon the prodding of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Mercado read a letter that he said he wrote in 2012 and kept in his wallet ever since.

 

“Sa aking pamilya at sa kinauukulan, nitong mga nakaraang araw ay napapansin ko na may susunod-sunod sa aking lakad.  Kung sakalaing may mangyaring masama sa akin ay walang kayong uusiging iba.  Walang ibang gagawa sa akin ng masama kundi ang pamilya Binay lamang,” Mercado said.

 

He said he made a letter after noticing that someone was following him wherever he went. Aside from the one kept on his wallet, Mercado gave a copy of the letter to his wife and one of his children but he instructed them to read it once something bad happens to him.

 

Mercado said he made three copies to make sure that what he wanted to say wouldn't be lost if anything happened to him.

 

He said he has no enemy except Binay whom he claimed to be a long-time friend.
 

“Kilala ko yung kaibigan ko dati, mahaba yung pinagsamahan namin kaya ako ayoko magbintang pero naglalagay ako ng isang bagay at sinabi ko sa pamilya ko na kung sakaling may mangyari sa akin ito lang yan. Wala naman po akong alam na ibang kaaway,” Mercado said during the hearing.

Cayetano said he wanted Mercado to read the letter as a protection to the latter.

 

“Proteskyon mo din ito Vice [Mayor]. Naranasan ko din yan nung nilabanan ko si former First Gentleman [Jose Miguel Arroyo] and Senator [Juan Ponce] Enrile. Basahin nyo na sa amin para malaman ng publiko na hindi kayo nag iimbento na meron kayo[ng ginawang sulat]. Konsensiya namin pag may nangyari sa inyo,” Cayetano said.

 

During the hearing Senator Antonio Trillanes IV recommended that Mercado, lawyer Renato Bondal and Nicholas Enciso VI be put under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.

 

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the committee would follow the procedure for the matter.

 

Both Bondal and Enciso agreed to be under the WPP but Mercado asked that he be given time to think about it.

 

“Hindi ako tumatanggi pero bigyan nyo ako ng panahon na makonsulta ang abugado at pamilya ko,” said Mercado. He said he is managing their family business.

Mercado and Cayetano both urged Vice President Binay to attend the succeeding hearings on the issue to air his side.

 

“Ang kahilingan ko sa Vice President para maclear ang kanyang pangalan lalo na sya ay nangangarap na maging Presidente, sana siya ay humarap sa Senado para matunayan na ang mga bintang ay hindi tutuo,” said Mercado.

 

Cayetano said “come here and face his accusers and answer the accusations against you.”

 

The senator said he pity the Binay children who depend their father.

 

“Naawa ako dahil usually ang ama ang nagtatanggol sa anak,” said Cayetano. —NB, GMA News