Makati contractors contributed to Nancy, Junjun Binay’s campaigns

At least seven individuals connected to four different Makati suppliers and contractors – whether as owner, stockholders and company officers or board members – have contributed to the campaign kitties of Makati City Mayor Erwin Binay Jr. or Senator Nancy Binay in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

 

GMA News Research found on the official Makati City website that the contract amounts secured by the companies connected to the campaign contributors range from P1.52 million to P196.7 million. The website reflects one notice of award with a contract price of P1. 

The website states that all these projects underwent public bidding, and contracts were awarded to the offer of the “lowest calculated bid.”

 

The campaign contributions of the seven individuals range from P40,000 to P1 million. In all, their declared contributions reached at least P1,610,000. 

 

Senator Binay, the sister of Mayor Binay, is on her first term. Mayor Binay, on the other hand, is now on his second term after having won in the 2010 and 2013 elections. Their father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, was Makati mayor for 21 years before he sought a national seat in 2010. 

 

When asked to confirm these findings of GMA News Research, Senator Binay acknowledged that the names of the suppliers that appeared on her 2013 Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) did contribute to her campaign. 

 

"Yung mga names, nag-contribute nga sila sakin, pero I don't see any violation doon sa pagcocontribute nila sa akin kasi kung titingnan mo doon sa Omnibus Election Code Section 95, hindi sila kasama sa prohibited from donating sa mga kandidato," Senator Binay said.

 

She added that she does not know personally all individuals who contributed to her campaign. 

 

Transactions of the Makati City government have come under scrutiny following the filing of a plunder complaint before the Ombudsman against Vice President Binay and Mayor Binay for the alleged overpricing in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II. 

The Senate blue ribbon subcommittee is also conducting its separate investigation into the matter.

 

GMA News Research sent a letter to the office of Mayor Binay on August 13, requesting for a copy of the bid documents, contracts and all related ordinances in relation to the now controversial Makati Building II. 

 

On numerous follow-up calls, the Information and Community Relations Department said the documents cannot be released because the approving authority, Makati information chief Joey Salgado, was unavailable to sign the papers. 

 

The Makati City ICRD directed GMA News Research to instead check the Makati City website. 

 

The government’s full disclosure policy requires government offices, including local governments, to post on their websites public documents including bids and public offerings. 

 

Campaign contributors, winning bidders

 

GMA News Research pored over hundreds of bid notices and awards posted on Makati City’s website and found at least six people involved in companies that have won contracts from the Makati City government, and whose names appeared in Senator Binay’s SOCE. 

Based on the official website, they secured contracts for various projects for the Makati City government from 2012 to 2014. No bid and contracts data before 2012 were available as of posting time.  
 

GMA News Research learned of another supplier-campaign contributor from the recent Senate hearing on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II. 

 

The name of the company, Alexandrite Blue Inc., surfaced during the Blue Ribbon committee inquiry as a supplier of fire-fighting equipment for Makati City. 

 

Records of the Securities and Exchange Commission showed that the former president of Alexandrite Blue, Imelberto Hollero, contributed to the election campaign of Mayor Binay in 2010 and 2013.

 

Mayor Binay’s SOCE showed that Hollero’s contributions in the two election periods amounted to P250,000: P100,000 in 2010 and P150,000 in 2013.

 

Both the SOCE and the SEC paper reflect the TIN and address of Hollero.

 

GMA News spoke to Hollero’s son who refused an on-camera interview. He said the company went through the proper processes in the procurement of the contract. He added that they do not personally know Mayor Binay, and can’t recall any contribution by his father for Mayor Binay’s campaign.

Conflict of interest?

 

In an interview, lawyer Ryan Tampus, project director of Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), warned against these kinds of campaign contributions.

 

“Posible na magkaroon ng conflict of interest dahil halimbawa, kung may concession with government, ang mangyayari, mas papaburan  yung private individual o company na nagbigay ng (para sa) campaign expenses,” Tampus said. 

 

Three of the six contributors were Makati suppliers/ contractors prior to their contribution to Senator Binay’s campaign for the 2013 elections. Two of the companies connected to them continued to bid for, and secure contracts from Makati City after the 2013 polls. 

 

In an interview with GMA News, Senator Binay refuted the issue of conflict of interest in the case of the Makati City suppliers who donated to her campaign. 

 

"Wala eh, kasi if you follow... kung yung sa 'kin may conflict of interest, if you look at the other candidates na nagdonate, for example may isang senador dun, i think 12 million dun sa campaign funds niya came from directors of mining company, diba?” she said. "Pero since ang nagdonate yung in their individual capacity, hindi naman yung mining company, so walang issue, diba?” 

 

"At least nga yung sakin, I was transparent, ni-report ko yun,” she added. 

 

The Makati City government denies as well that any transaction with the City has been compromised. In a statement sent to GMA News, Salgado said: “The city complies with all procurement rules. All bids go through the process and each transaction is audited by COA [Commission on Audit].”

 

P197M of Christmas giveaways for MPL Trading 

 

A supplier who bagged at least P238,826,450 in contracts with the Makati City government from 2012 to 2014 was among the biggest campaign contributors of Sen Binay. 

 

Manuel Layug, owner of MPL Trading, contributed P1 million to Senator Binay. Layug’s name appeared in the SOCE filed by the senator. The SOCE also reflected the same Makati address as MPL Trading listed in the notice of contract award on the Makati website.

 

GMA News Research found at least five contracts awarded to MPL Trading from January 2012 to January 2014. 

 

The biggest contract awarded to MPL Trading was P196,658,500 in unspecified “Christmas giveaways” of the city government in 2012. It was awarded in October 2012. 

 

The company also bagged a contract worth P2,590,380 for the supply of tent frames with tarpaulin cover for the use of the different barangays within the city. 

 

After the election, the company won at least three more contracts. 

 

In June 2013, MPL Trading won a P9,108,700 contract for the supply of anti-riot shield and other gear for the Makati City police. 

 

In November 2013, it was awarded the P15,915,950-contract for various firefighting gear of the local fire department. 

 

In January this year, MPL Trading secured a P14,552,920-contract for the supply of self-contained breathing apparatus and other gear for the Makati Fire Department. 

 

GMA News tried to reach Layug at his business address but was informed that he is out of the country. 

 

Senator Binay told GMA News reporter Ruth Cabal that she does not know Layug, adding she did not know personally all of her contributors.

 

Metrostores Inc., and Green Fort Chem. Inc.

 

Metrostores won a contract for the Management and Monitoring of Operations of Mobile Canteens. However, the contract amount posted on the Makati City website was only for P1.00. The contract was awarded in August 2012.

John Jonathan Lacson, contributed Php 50,000 to Senator Binay’s campaign funds and Mary Josephine Lacson gave Php 40,000.

 

John Jonathan is corporate secretary and Mary Josephine board member of Metrostores Inc. 

 

The names and TINs of the two Lacsons were listed on the SOCE and SEC papers of the company.

 

Green Fort Chem., Inc., another company bearing the same address as Metrostores Inc., won a P1,521,676.80-contract for the Pest Control Management Services At University Of Makati for 2014.

 

In an interview with GMA News, Lemuel Quimpo, the corporate secretary of Greenfort Chem as stated in the company’s SEC records, said Greenfort and Metrostores are sister companies.  

 

The two companies were able to bag at least P1,521,677.80 in Makati contracts.

 

Quimpo identified himself to GMA News as the general manager of Metrostores Inc.. He said the company supplies for and manages Metrochef food stalls, previously known as “Jollijeeps.”

 

Quimpo contributed P115,000 in cash to Sen Binay’s 2013 campaign.

 

When asked about his contribution, Quimpo said he will have to check this. He added that he is not close to the Binay family. 

 

He said all contracts secured by his companies went through the proper bidding process.

Sonia Opaco and Ernesto Uy are also listed as campaign donors of Senator Binay, contributing a total of P155,000. Both are board members of Green Fort Chem. 

 

Opaco and Uy only figured in the SEC papers of the Green Fort Chem in 2014, after the elections and awarding of contract. 

 

The TINs of Quimpo, Lacson, Opaco, and Uy, which appeared in Greenfort’s SEC papers, were identified as well in the senator’s SOCE. — With reports from Ruth Cabal and Jam Sisante/RSJ/NB, GMA News