De Lima: Mercado has admitted involvement in anomalies

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday said it is but normal to discover irregularities or anomalies involving former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, as he had admitted to being part of some illegal activities in the past.

However, De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is ready to look into the alleged irregularities involving Mercado as long as there is proof that will be presented against him.

“Open naman kami. Anyone na mag-approach sa NBI na magpakita ng ebidensiya, obligasyon ng NBI na imbestigahan din. Ganun po yun, wala naman kaming pinipili basta meron ebidensiya,” De Lima told reporters at the sidelines of the Senate budget deliberations.

Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said that the Senate may conduct a probe on Mercado, chief accuser of Vice President Jejomar Binay, if a resolution would be filed calling for it.

On Wednesday, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president Toby Tiangco said Mercado should undergo a lifestyle check, saying the erstwhile Makati official owns questionable properties in different parts of the country.

He said among these were:

-A garden hotel and resort in La Jala Coron, Palawan
- Villa-resort Villa Juanita in Coron, Palawan
- Grand Villa Pateros in Brgy. Aguho, Pateros
- Grand Villa and Butterfly Center in Los Banos, Laguna
- Hunter Valley plantation and resort in Cabanatuan, Nueva ecija
- Poultry farm in Palayan, Nueva Ecija
- Properties in West Rembo, Makati City and in Laur, Nueva Ecija.

De Lima said since Mercado is a whistleblower in anomalies allegedly involving Binay, his testimonies are admission against his interest, which she said makes him more credible.

“Natural lang na meron talagang madidiskubreng mga irregularities or anomalies na attributed to him. At this point we cannot say [if it will affect his credibility] kasi precisely [ay] whistleblower nga. Kaya nga ibang klaseng witness kasi alam nila yung pangyayari, they were once part of the anomalies, irregularities,” she said.

Mercado has accused Binay of involvement in the alleged overpricing of the construction of Makati City Hall building II, bid rigging, and receiving kickbacks for every transaction entered into by the city government during the latter’s term as mayor.

He also accused Binay of owning a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas and a log cabin in Tagaytay Highlands.

Binay has denied all the allegations saying these were part of the operation to discredit him and diminish his chances of winning in the 2016 presidential elections.

De Lima could not say if the allegations against Mercado could lead to him being removed from the Witness Protection Program. Shes aid Mercado was accepted to the program because of the recommendation of the Senate blue ribbon committee, which is looking into the alleged overpricing of Makati City Hall Building II.  

“Since the subject matter of the ongoing inquiry is of such magnitude of which we cannot downplay the security implications on the part of this whistleblower kaya obligasyon namin na tanggapin sila,” she said.

She said the NBI will check first the evidence that will be brought to it regarding Mercado, but she admitted that the NBI's current focus is on Mercado's allegations against Binay.

“Titignan muna namin syempre yan. Ang nauna yung assignment tungkol sa mga isiniwalat ni Vice Mayor Mercado so syempre dun na muna kami magpo-focus pero hindi naman ibig sabihin na hindi na namin pwedeng tignan yung mga nagiging allegations kay Mercado,” she said. —KBK, GMA News