Inside Philippine politics & beyond

I’m posting my entire interview with VP Binay so his spokesman can listen and defend him better

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By Raïssa Robles

Over two weeks ago when I posted my piece  entitled Binay told me in 2010 he had bought – not leased – the land for his piggery, Vice President Jejomar Binay and/or his political advisers chose to ignore it.

However, some eagled-eyed Senate officials apparently saw it, which is the only reason I can give for why they subpoenaed me to explain the story to the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing on October 30.

After I testified, no less than Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla – VP Binay’s “spokesman for political concerns” -suddenly  issued the following reaction:

I have three questions for Remulla:

1, Why did it take more than two weeks for the Vice President and his advisers to react to my story?

2, Before I wrote the story I called another Binay spokesperson, Joey Salgado, to ask for the Vice President’s side. He did not give me the explanation that Remulla is now giving.

3, Why is it that NOWHERE in the one hour interview that I conducted with Binay in 2010 did the Vice President give the explanation that Remulla is now venturing

Don’t take my word for it – see for yourself. I am posting at the end of this piece the ENTIRE interview for all to listen.

The corruption probe of VP Binay reminds me of a line from Robert Frost, one of my favorite poets. Frost wrote:

“We dance round in a ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and knows.”

I believe one of the keys to unlocking the secret is my taped interview with VP Binay on June 29, 2010. The VP mentioned no Agrifortuna. I had asked him about his PERSONAL PROPERTY and we were clearly talking about PERSONAL PROPERTY.

Remulla ended his statement with this admonition:

“I think we need to be reminded that before jumping to hasty conclusions, even journalists need a clear grasp of all the facts.”

While I appreciate Remulla’s no-doubt sincere attempt to hold forth about a profession he doesn’t practice, let me give my own caution: I think we need to be reminded that before we listen to the cobbled together excuses of spin doctors we need to get a clear grasp of the facts.

In particular I’d like to point out how Remulla issued a statement a week ago that was the complete opposite of the truth. Remulla claimed that during VP Binay’s recent meeting with President Benigno Aquino, the latter had asked the VP how he could help amid “all the lies and baseless accusations” against the VP and his wife.

But in fact, President Aquino himself said:

“I didn’t offer to help.”

Perhaps Governor Jonvic did not like the fact that President Aquino told me during the FOCAP forum that Remulla got the details of VP Binay’s meeting with Aquino wrong. I guess Remulla never thought that Aquino would be so blunt.

In the case of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, its Sub-Committee was particularly interested in two sections of my interview, which lasted all of one hour, 26 minutes and 15 seconds.

Here is the transcript of those sections:

At 28:05 minutes

Raissa: So okay, are people – do you think when you talk to people yung ordinary people do you think they tell you want you want to hear or they tell you what they really feel?

VP Binay: It’s an open dialogue. I came from that point.

Raissa: I came –

VP Binay:  I came from that sector and I can speak and feel – kung ano talaga yung buhay sa lupa. So that’s what I will say, I’ve been fortunate that I grew up the hard way. So alam ko kung ano yung hirap dahil nasa como ako mahirap.

Raissa: So parang you not only have empathy, you’ve lived their life.

VP Binay: Oo naman eh kasi when I was with my uncle he wakes me up at 5 o clock. magwawalis ka na sa paligid ilalabas mo na yung mga manok, tapos ng almusal, mamamalengke tapos makapamalengke, maglalaba. Pagtapos maglaba, mag-aaral na for my class is-

Raissa: Kayo yung naglalaba?

VP Binay: Oo naman ako ung naglalaba. Hindi naman ako ipaglalaba ng mga katulong. Nakakatuwa yung buhay sa tiyo ko, Sa oras ng pagkain, kasama ko yung pamilya ng tiyo ko. After eating you become part already of (inaudible) gagawa ng kaning baboy

Raissa: Totoo yan sir ha?

VP Binay: Iniisip mo bang gumagawa ako ng istorya?

Raissa: Hindi kasi eh. Yung kay Villar, e.

VP Binay: Eh di ipagtanong mo dun sa kilala (inaudible) ng kaning baboy

Raissa: And then you sell that?

VP Binay: No, mahilig kasi mag alaga yung tiyo ko ng mga hayop. Meron kaming mga baboy or mga kambing. Pero marami siyang manok pang sabong

Raissa: So baboy, kambing, manok at saka pang sabong. Kayo sir, now? do you own– for cockfighting?

VP Binay: Uhh mga pang cock fight, di naman ako pumupunta sa cockfight.

Raissa: Kayo Sir, but you own…

VP Binay: Saka natutuwa lang ako makita yung iba ibang kulay. (inaudible) Number two, e lumilinis ang kapaligiran kapag may mga mano (inaudible)

Raissa: Ilan sir ang manok nyo – for cock fight?

VP Binay: (inaudible) Sila namamahala dun. Nakalagay lang dun sa lugar (inaudible)

Raissa: So hindi nyo alam sir kung how many?

VP Binay: Hindi ako familiar doon. Basta it’s more than a hundred.

Raissa: And these are from US? Or Australia?

VP Binay: Yun yatang breed nun eh galing sa states. Meron pa sa Australia , (inaudible) natin sa Australia, basically 

Raissa: Sa US.

VP Binay: Sa US yon.

                                                                                                              * * *

At 39:54 minutes 

Raissa : Ah, There’s another thing that I need to ask you, sir. Um, lumabas – may nilabas na extensive report tungkol sa inyo ang Newsbreak. I think that was 2001. But according to them, sinagot niyo naman yung mga, yung mga allegations doon. What I want to ask you is – How many houses, condos, properties do you own?

VP Binay:Tipo lang ni Monsod ang nagsasabi niyan.

Raissa: Hindi , hindi. I don’t care about Monsod, Sir.

Binay:Kasi inulit na naman yung charges na yan. Condos, bahay.

Raissa: Hindi, pero, is it, is it – I mean, ok. Personally, I mean , kung anuhin nyo yung family, how many do you own? Houses –

Binay:Yung bahay namin at saka yung bahay namin sa Batangas (inaudible).

Raissa: Wala nang condo –

Binay:Condo, dati yung anak ko nakatira sa condo. Ngayon nakatira sa bahay. ..(garbled)

Raissa: Ngayon sa bahay na lang.

Binay: O may bahay na siya. Meron syang bahay na (inaudible). Siya na lang wala dito sa bahay namin.

Raissa: Ah, Ok.

Binay:Lahat ng anak ko, at saka yung apo ko, second apo ko kay Abigail, yun lang ang wala dito.

Raissa: Sir, yung Batangas is how many hectares?

Binay:Meron akong isang babuyan doon. (garbled)

Raissa: Mga 10 hectares? Eleven?

Binay:Ya.

Raissa: Mga around 10 hectares. Namana nyo yoon?

Binay:Binili ko.

Raissa: Aaah. Ok.

Raissa: Ten –

Binay:Mga 3 sentimos lang yata yon. 30 pesos.

Raissa: Thirty – pesos per –

Binay:Per square meter…

Raissa: Oo.

And here is the entire recorded interview: 

 

Comments

  1. Another property of the Binays worth investigating. Property in Samar bigger than the Hacienda Binay in Batangas.

  2. Bullseye: Raissa: Sir, yong Batangas how many hectares? Binay: Meron akong isang babuyan doon (garbled) (Note: This is an unresponsive, evasive answer) Raissa: Mga 10 hectares? Eleven? Binay: Ya. Raissa: Mga around 10 hectares. Namana nyo yoon? Binay: BINILI KO.

    We heard it right from the horse’s mouth. Eerie, damning, self-destructive interview. Huddeb truth has a very unique way of coming out. Good interview, Ms. Robles.

    • Thank you for reading diplomat.

      It was just fortunate I found again the entire recording of my interview with him.

      Do come and join in the vigorous discssions here.

      And please ask your friends and relatives to come, too.

    • 2. The Raissa Robles testimony on the Batangas property is admissible in evidence as admission against interest.

      In the 2009 case of Unchuan v. Lozada, the Supreme Court ruled: “These admissions are admissible, even if they are hearsay. Thus, a man’s act, conduct, and declaration, wherever made, if voluntary, are admissible against him, for the reason that it is fair to presume they correspond with the truth, and it is his fault if they do not.”

      In the 2013 later case of Spouses Hojas v. Philippine Amanah Bank, the Supreme Court also held: “Through estoppel, an admission or representation is rendered conclusive beyond the person making it, and cannot be denied or disproved as against the person relying on it.”

      Thus, to summarize, the blog by Raissa Robles stating that in a 2010 interview Binay admitted ownership of the Batangas property is an admission against interest that is admissible in court, even if it is hearsay. 3. The Instagram post by Joanna Binay is also admissible in evidence, as admission against interest.

      http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/1106_santiago1.asp

  3. There is a saying and I quote: “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are” unquote. Who are Binay’s political friends? Joseph Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile. Do I need to expound?

  4. im an avid reader of cyber plaza miranda. based on your articles and the forums. everything really boils down to binay. andaming issues, andaming resources, from instagram posts of his daughter, to your recorded interview in 2010, sa mga nkapaligid sa property in batangas, even his word against the word of pnoy with their one on one meeting, sa mga statements ni tiu at mga palusot sa kampo ni binay, even an imbecile could understand everything that’s happening. its so frustrating kasi dito sa forums, alam ang mga nangyayare, napagdudugtong dugtong ang bawat senaryo, pero pagdating ng botohan sila pa din ang nananalo becoz we are overwhelmed by bobotantes who sell their votes for a thousand peso. hangang probe n lng ba tayo na pag may dumating n nmn na ibang issues, mawawala n nmn yan limelight, mkakalimutan ng tao parang sa mga naunang expose na walang nangyari like ZTE, fertilizer scams, malampaya, itong pork barrel scam, etc. at the end of the day (na laging sinasabi ni pnoy), can we really make binay pay for his crimes of corruption eh itong mga arroyo’s nga na alam ng buong pilipinas na nangurakot sa kaban ng bayan hangang ngayon ay walang nangyayare. just my thoughts.

  5. Sure he woke up at 5:00 AM and did all his chores and washed his laundry before the sun came up but everyone did those things in the old days! That’s how my parents were raised as well. It doesn’t mean he lived a poor life. Heck, they even have extra food to make kaning baboy!

    Well, at least now we know Binay has had a long history in the piggery business.

  6. I can’t help but comment on some things Binay said : “VP Binay: Oo naman ako ung naglalaba. Hindi naman ako ipaglalaba ng mga KATULONG”

    and

    about a hundred manok panabong from the US?

    Doesn’t sound like laking mahirap to me. Sounds pretty middle class if not upper middle class upbringing to me.

  8. Like Binay, don antonio tiu has interesting similarities with Corona, i.e. bare faced lying about educational attainments.

  9. I watched your presentation in the October 30 Senate Investigation on the Makati Parking Building Overpricing and related issues. I was very impressed by you in that hearing; and sought your website and read your previous articles. And so here I am making my first post on your website.

    Please continue with the very professional way you do your reporting in your website. You are among the exceptions to the general run of journalists who do not say anything that is not supported with facts or documents (based on my reading of your previous articles). May I ask, are you a lawyer too?

    On the topic that occupies people’s time this days, it is common knowledge that the VP’s spokesmen, if not the VP himself, are committing blunders upon blunders — that happens when the product one is selling is difficult to sell. I think this will end badly for the product.

    Thanks again. I will a fan of your website starting now.

    (By the way, I am a 76 years old Filipino. I am in my twilight years. But I hope that you younger ones whose life have just begun — compared to me — will do your best to make the life of Filipinos better by getting rid of those who do not deserve to be entrusted with our future.)

    • Thank you for your letter, Maam. I highly appreciate it. Do come back and join the discussions here.

      And I hope you can spread the word among members of your family about my website where people who want a better future congregate. Again, thank you. – raissa

      • Thanks a lot too for your kind reply. By the way I am a 76 years old man married to a wonderful woman of 74. I am married with two daughters with families of their own who are now permanent residents (about to become citizens) in two countries — the older one in Canada, the younger one in Australia.

        I have to add the following because it relates to our country. I tried prevailing with my daughters to stay because they and their husbands were successful and gainfully employed; but they won out in the discussions — they do not want to be confronted daily, and soon their children too, with the kind of people that Remulla and his principal represent (the original reason was Erap and his kind). Now I know they were right. My wife and I, though, want to stay in spite of invitations from our daughters, In our twilight years, my wife and I are still hoping not necessarily for a rich country, but a country with leaders we can trust. By the way I trusted and still trust President Aquino.

        • @NHerrera
          Pardon my intrusion but have express my admiration on your principles. Up to the last breath hoping for a better nation.

          You are the kind of senior Filipino that should be presented by Aquino in his SONA

          Sir, May you have more healthy years and continous blessings of family.

          By the way, Raisssa is not a lawyer, her father was. She missed answering your question

        • Thanks for your kind words. Thanks too for your info about Ms Raissa Robles not being a lawyer. I thought she is a lawyer with her attention to documenting her statements with facts.

  10. The SBRC should ask Sunchamp if they have similar business dealings wherein they also applied the same approach in soliciting documents and other pertinent records to finalize their deals. Perharps we could come across a mediocre deal where they were able to exhausted all strict legal measures to have these documents produced (by both parties). How come they applied it differently in this 400million pesos deal. Banyan ba sila sa lahat ng dealings nils? Anyway it is STANDARD PRACTICE according to Tiu. Or as sen cayetano bluntly pointed out, whatever is convenient to you.

    • It is not standard practice to sign off on a P400 million deal with a one page, un-notarized document, the date and signature of which are unverified.

      If you approach SPCMB in order to finalize a contract (say with a purchasing agent, a sale, a loan document, or a change in company by laws), it will hand you boiler plate, thick documents, with “Consent of this…”, “Consent of that…”, “Termination Letter…”, “Shareholder Consent…”, “Settlement…”, “Agreement to Purchase…”, “Agreement to Sell..”, “Medallion Guarantee..”. They can easily run to at least 5 different documents, in hundreds of pages.

      No way this document is for real. Specially when a public company is involved.

      • Just signing the documents (between the two parties) of a big transaction like this may take an hour because each party may have to sign at least 20 or so documents (compiled in a thick book) in front of the other party, with 3 or 4 lawyers present.

        • @Raissa:

          An interview with a recognized expert lawyer on “standard practice” and his/her views regarding the one page document of Tiu would be an interesting read.

        • Tama correct.

          This ‘big transaction’ is like that of a last will and testament, HOLOGRAPHIC Will, in just long-hand-handwritten 2 lines:

          ‘Jan. 7, 2010, Place: _____
          In the Name of God, I give to Antonio L. Tiu all my lands including all the trees, plants and grass on it according to our mutual secrets.

          Signed: Laureano R. Gregorio, Jr. ‘

          Invalid as a holographic last will – No place stated. No need of notiurization.

          hehehe

  11. About MOA documents of Gregorio and Tiu,
    1. Gregorio’s signature are easy to copy, it might forged o pineke- that is why it never notorized the one page documents submitted by Mr.Tiu to SBRSC.
    1a. If Mr. Gregorio signed the MOA, the Subido associates law firm knows where he at and where they can contact him..why not presenting both of them to clear the issues..problem solved and cleared.
    I have a gut feeling that Mr. Gregorio is an imaginary persona or already dead and will never be found!
    2. If Tiu found guilty of lying and an accessories of obstruction of justice, Is he can be deported and revoked his citizenship considering if he is naturalized Filipino Citizen? and Tag as “undesirable foreigner”? Our jail facilities are crowded and we don,t want him to feed him through our tax money.
    3. If some politician found guilty of plunders and corruptions, being jailed and being pardoned, can the govermernt tag them as an ” Undesirable Politicians” and marked their forehead to symbolize corruptions?. an “M” would be appropriate as Magnanakaw..just like in Saudi Arabia, they cut your fingers if they caught you stealing…but we don’t want to imitate it! as a religious and predominant Catholics country, a livestock marking would be less painful….afteral we all havel 10 fingers and for currupt politicians, these are not enough for them because they keep doing it! In addition, we, the Filipino people didn’t do anything about it! We are forgiving people!. and perhaps just simply saying.. bahala at ipag-paubaya na lang natin sa Diyos mentality.
    -just a thoughts..thanks!

    • From Nat. Inquirer.

      http://opinion.inquirer.net/79760/our-place-in-batangas

      mfriend • 10 hours ago

      To all those who are saying that Laureano “Jun” Gregorio is not a real person: He is all too real. He and wife Annie, own the Tejeros Public Market at Pasong Tirad St. Makati among other businesses. They live in Xavierville Subdivision, QC.

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      Kala Magdael mfriend • 8 hours ago

      But is he the same Laureano Gregorio involved in this saga? If so, you just opened a new lead, researchers, start with Mr. Gregorio’s business the Tejeros Public market, mfriend just provided the address above plus yung location ng kanyang bahay.
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      mfriend Kala Magdael • an hour ago

      If you go to the market, all the stall owners know him there. I’m just not sure if they will cooperate in the investigation.
      Reply

    • The effect of un-notarized and un-dated MOA is obvious: Nobody could witness WHEN when signing the document took place. Nobody verified their identity if they were the persons they said they were. Nobody watched them affix their own signatures as compared to a valid ID with picture and signature. And to think that Tiu’s lawyer, Martin Subido, prepared the document. Speaking about Atty. Subido, whose lawyer is he, Tiu or Gregorio? Very fishy document, indeed. I have never seen such a document pertaining to a P446M sale of 145 hectares bought by a public listed company. The presentation of the MOA is a big insult to Filipino intelligence.

    • It is now becoming apparent to me why Binay is partial to GMA: because he and GMA are money-laundering together in Tiu’s company.

      • Just to put things in perspective, the laundering if it occurred with the two BV entities is a miniwash and not a heavy load. According to the latest ANI annual report, Southern Field Ltd.
        owns 1.6% of total issued shares worth 17 million pesos at the current stock price. The other BV firm, 3 Star Capital owns 5.9% of Greenergy issued shares worth about 65 million pesos. These amounts would not explain the hundreds of millions of pesos supposedly withdrawn in cash by Tiu from a QC bank branch. However if one wanted to use Tiu as a dummy and control Greenergy Holdings which owns Sunchamp, the route to go would be to have him assign or transfer the majority of Earthright shares in exchange for hundreds of millions of pesos withdrawn from a branch bank.

        • GMA’s investment was quite heavy in ANI, and was initially seen as an unfriendly takeover of control.
          The confusing ways ANI (a publicly owned company!) is linked to 3Star Capital, Greenenergy, SunChamp, Earthright would be disturbing to an investor: he/she would conclude that Tiu is an operator, not someone who is trying to grow ANI. That’s likely why ANI’s stock price dropped like a stone.

          I don’t know about how Binay is disguising his investment. The SEC can order an examination of its books, and look at things that have not been disclosed to the public.

        • Tiu has been able to grow ANI businesses and revenues successfully as the company’s audited financials show. Its his control over costs and expenses which is abysmal. That is why the stock has dropped from as high as 20 to where it is now, twos and threes. Why would anyone including GMA or Binay want to buy shares in it aside from money laundering purposes? If they secretly did, they probably had the investment advisors who re commended buying the shares lined up against the wall and shot. Well, at the very least they should have been fired.