By Raïssa Robles
A tearful Lani Mercado faced veteran entertainment writer Mario Dumaual to defend her husband from charges of grand theft of the people’s money.
With very little makeup, except for some eyeliner, the actress who is also now a lawmaker in Congress said:
“Baka sabihin ng tao ay umaarte ako, umiiyak, kasi laging ganoon ang sinasabi nila kapag artista ka. Pero hindi natin maiiwasan na talagang yon ang nararamdaman ko. Kung kayo man ang mawalan ng asawa at ikukulong siya dahil sa isang kasalanan na hindi naman niya talaga ginawa masakit yon para sa isang maybahay.”
I could not help but notice, though, the large gem winking on her right ear lobe as she moved her head expressively on cam. Were those real diamonds or just swarovskis? Look for yourself below:
If they were real diamonds, what a jarring piece of jewelry to wear on such an occasion.
I was unsure, though, whether to write this, until I saw a piece on Lani Mercado and her apparent love for designer handbags. It’s entitled “Lani’s Luxury bags” by a blogger who calls herself Goldee Luxe.
Goldee Lux recalled the controversial statement Lani Mercado made about pork barrel:
“Ok lang walang pork barrel fund, basta wag lang manghihingi sa amin ang mga tao, e anong ibibigay namin (kung wala ng pork barrel) hindi namn puwede yung pinaghirapan namin dahil sa personal naman namin yun , sa mga anak, sa mga pang araw araw na panggastos…”
Goldee Luxe wrote:
“This made me me wonder what she likes to spend her money on so I did what any normal person would do?I googled her.
Like most women in this day and age, she is definitely into luxury bags. She has been seen carrying Chanel (at a party with Janet Lim Napoles, no less!) and Louis Vuitton bags.”
Click on this link to see the photos of Congresswoman Lani Mercado.
Based on Senator Bong Revilla’s latest 2014 SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth), he can afford to give his wife diamonds. He is the fifth richest senator. Both he and his wife jointly declared total assets of P249,352.748.36, liabilities of P166.7 million or a net worth of P82,652,748.36.
However, Senator Bong Revilla was arrested and detained on the charge that he stole P517 million of the pork barrel that was allotted to him so he could help the very poor directly.
Seeing that his declared net worth of P82M is much, much less than the P517 M he is accused of stealing, it is quite understandable that he and his entire family, including his young children, are being subjected by authorities to a lifestyle check.
Why subject minors to a lifestyle check? Isn’t that cruel, inhuman and stupid?
In this case, the minors are not being accused of committing the crime; only their father is. He may have stashed the loot using their names – in various bank accounts and various instruments such as insurance policies, bonds, condominium titles, etc.
You can read more about the charges against Senator Bong Revilla by clicking on this link.
I am posting below, the previous stories I have written about Sen. Bong Revilla, his father and the murder of his half-brother. Another half-brother is still in a regular jail cell awaiting trial while a half-sister remains missing, having fled abroad.
Turns out Senator Bong “Ang Panday” Revilla can’t stand the heat – in jail
Is PNoy’s meeting with Sen. Bong Revilla like GMA’s phone call to Garci?
NGO told SEC a year ago it got P140M pork from Senators Enrile, Revilla, Estrada, et al.
Sen. Ramon Revilla’s “Other Woman”
Ram Revilla murder: Tale of the 2 ‘idiot’ killers
Star witness in Ramgen Revilla murder prompts probe of victim’s four siblings
Ramona sketches out Ramgen Revilla’s murder
Kajames says
Re: RA 7080 – is section 5 not enough to suspend the now “arraigned” senatongs to be suspended from senate?
Vera says
To be fair, Ms. Lani Mercado has been working as a successful actress all her life that I believe she can afford to buy real diamonds and wear them everyday. Both she and Bong were hardworking successful actors, who can question their talent fees and luxuries? Given of course that these came from their own pockets.
raissa says
Are diamonds OK for daily use for a congrresswoman, do you think?
moonie says
congresswoman lani is very indulgent to herself. know how many carats the diamond she is seen wearing? habang ang mga taga-cavite who are her constituents are mired in poverty when she is supposed to help them make their lives better, got big budget to help them too, 70million pdaf. while lani gets richer and richer, the cavitenyos remained poor and poorer.
Saltychief says
Who said she’s suppose to have a seat in Congress anyway? Oh yeah, I forgot, those idiots who voted for her.
Hmmm…. TIA ( This Is Africa) is the answer that I get every time i see something screwed in Djibouti.
In our case, TIP.
Ice says
Ang dami arte sa daga, pwede naman humingi sa korte na bigyan siya ng baygon or rat killer etc, bakit air cooler ang hiningi. Sobra naman laking issue yan daga and ipis. Solar Energy Philippine
jorge bernas says
@ Ice,
Ang arte arte talaga ni Lanie at sayang boto ko sa kanya noon, naaawa siya sa asawang si Bong dahil maraming daga at ipis sa kulungan nito pero mas naaawa ako sa mga daga at ipis dahil baka mahawa sila sa katakawan ni bong Pera nang Bayan, saka Plunder/Pagnanakaw ang kaso…
Ang kaibahan ni bong sa daga at ipis bow!!!
Daga at Ipis —- nagnanakaw para hindi magutom….
Bong ————-nagnanakaw para marami tao magutom….
Daga at ipis —–nagnanakaw para mabusog
Bong ————–nagnanakaw para busog na busog
Just me says
She’s just as guilty as her husband. Puwede bang hindi alam ng spouse ang pumapasok na pera sa household? Even just an excess of 1 million income, you will know it more than anyone, but 242 million? Give me a break! You should be ashamed of your husband rather than support him unless katuwang ka nya sa pagnanakaw.
In another article humihilng daw si Bong ng air cooler dahil mainit sa cell nya. Let him suffer the heat. Filipino children suffer even more dahil sa pangungurakot nyo ng pera na sila ang may pag aari dahil nagbabayad ng buwis ang mga magulang nila. Dapat nyang maranasan ang dinadanas ng madla dahil sa pagnanakaw nya.
macspeed says
MATERIALISTIC PEOPLE DOES NOT CARE FOR OTHER BEINGS WELFARE, DO THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN PUT ALL THE RICHES IN THE WORLD AS RANSOM TO GOD IN EXCHANGE FOR PASSAGE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED?
http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/nora/html/3-91.html
Kajames says
…maybe the 242 millions is what giving mandaramBong that smile he always wear…he’ll just have to live with the “ipis and rats” for the time being until such time he can use the bloody money to get himself out of jail…