7 Binay allies still on Senate wanted list

Seven people identified with Vice President Jejomar Binay remain on the wanted list of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

They are businessman Gerardo Limlingan, Eduviges Baloloy, Aida Alcantara, Hirene Lopez, Bernadette Portallano, and James and Anne Lorraine Buencamino-Tiu.

The Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee will hold its 21st hearing into the alleged anomalies involving Binay on Thursday.

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia said he has sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in locating the seven.

They are deliberately evading arrest as their known addresses are mostly non-existent, he added.

Six others that the Senate Blue Ribbon committee had ordered arrested have signed pledges to attend Thursday’s hearing.

They are Makati City Hall officials Vissia Marie Aldon, Danilo Villas, Line Dela Peña and Mario Badillo; Chinese-Filipino businessman Antonio Tiu, and University of Makati president Tomas Lopez.

Last week, the six appeared at the office of the Blue Ribbon committee to sign the pledges, some of which were handwritten and accomplished upon their arrival.

Another six will appear at Thursday’s hearing after having signed their pledges yesterday.

They are Kim Tun Chong, Imee Chong, Irene Chong, Kimsfer Chong, Erlinda Chong and Irish Chong, proprietors of the Millennium Food Chains Corp. supplying birthday cakes for senior citizens of Makati.

Through a letter, the Chongs informed the Blue Ribbon committee that their matriarch, Erlinda is currently in Hong Kong recuperating from an ankle injury.

Her daughter Irish is with her and would ac- company her until she is fit to travel back to Manila.

The family has assured the committee that Erlinda and Irish would attend future hearings, if needed.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Limlingan could be “the nail on the coffin of the Vice President,” if he turns state witness.

Limlingan reportedly holds over a billion in bank deposits and other assets that purportedly belong to Binay.

Former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado has tagged Limlingan as Binay’s dummy in various businesses undeclared in Binay’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Cayetano again challenged Binay and his family to sign a waiver on the secrecy of bank deposits and open up all his bank accounts for scrutiny.

“This will allow us to find out if their defense is one that is general or if they are willing to have a document to document examination,” he said.

Cayetano said the evidence against Binay is very clear, and that the constitutional presumption of innocence no longer applies to Binay due to the amount of evidence that has emerged against him.

“Where did these come from?” he asked.

“Is it raining money in Makati and the Binays are catching it all? Of course the money came from somewhere and the general denials issued, including the statements about Mr. Limlingan being a legitimate businessman, it makes me wonder why they are answering on behalf of Mr. Limlingan.”