3 of 6 Sunchamp board members linked to VP Binay, trader tells Senate panel

Three of the six members of the board of Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corporation, which claims ownership over the 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas, were lawyers linked with Vice President Jejomar Binay, particularly his daughter.

This was uncovered during Wednesday's hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee on the alleged corruption surrounding the Binay family, upon the questioning of businessman Antonio Tiu by Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

During the questioning, Tiu admitted that he nominated to Sunchamp's board three lawyers connected with Subido Pagente Certeza Mendoza & Binay Law Firm, where Binay’s daughter, Makati Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay, is a former partner.

“Tatlong abogado galing sa legal counsel na in-appoint ko as my nominees. Hindi importante sa akin yun (kung abugado sila ni Binay), ang importante sila ang nominee ko,” said Tiu, believed to a dummy of Vice President Binay.

He clarified that the board members only has nominal share in the company, which came from him.

Cayetano, however, said that means theoretically, the Binays have control over Tiu’s company.

Tiu denied this even in the face of Cayetano's statement that using dummies is the usual scheme of corrupt officials to hide their properties.

Binay is accused of benefitting from kickbacks during his term as Makati mayor and of maintaining hidden wealth. He is believed to be the owner of the sprawling Batangas property. —KBK, GMA News