September 12, 2014 · Posted in: 2016 Elections, Access to Information, General, Governance, In the News, Local Government, Media, Money Politics
VP Binay, by the numbers
From the PCIJ Files:
VICE-PRESIDENT JEJOMAR C. BINAY
IN THIS series, we will share with you PCIJ’s databases on the wealth, campaign contributions and spending, and social network of elected government officials of the Philippines.
Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay is in the news (or in the hot seat, to be more precise) in the wake of allegations by local executives and a former political ally and vice-mayor that he had supposedly rigged multi-million-peso bids for public contracts in Makati City where Binay had served as mayor until 2010.
More from the PCIJ Files:
Elections, pork, wealth, and Vice President Jejomar C. Binay
* Binay bags P200-M PDAF: Pork train to Malacanang?, July 22, 2012
* SALN: Good law, bad results, March 14, 2012
* Regarding VP Binay, Jan. 13, 2012
* The Comelec in Makati City: Conjugal toilet for ‘fire-station’ crew, May 8, 2013
* Parties of Binay, Enrile, Jinggoy, Imelda defy law, July 3, 2011
* Roxas, Binay, Legarda splurge millions on ads, March 18, 2010
* Top bets for prez, VP, party-lists in orgy of omissions, half-truths, Aug. 10-12, 2010
* Makati’s mayor fortifies his fort, April 2, 2007
Binay, who rose to political power after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt, has been accused by Engineer Mario Hechanova, former head of the Makati General Services Department, of influencing public bids in the city for his favored contractors. Hechanova had told a Senate hearing that he was given at least P200,000 in monthly allowance to help in the rigging of project bids.
Under the Plunder Law or Republic Act No. 7080, the aggregate amount or total value of a public officer’s alleged ill-gotten wealth should be at least P50 million. Originally set at P75 million, the reference amount was reduced in 1993. Ironically, the law was passed after former President Ferdinand E. Marcos was ousted amid claims that he and his wife, now Ilocos Sur rep.Ma. Imelda Romualdez Maros, had amassed billions of pesos in ill-gotten wealth. Binay was one of many human rights lawyers during the martial law period.
VICE-PRESIDENT JEJOMAR C. BINAY, left, with President Benigno S. Aquino III | PCOO Photo
READ MORE ABOUT PLUNDER HERE iN PCIJ’s MONEY POLITICS WEBSITE
What is the wealth of Binay?
In 17 years as an elective official, Binay’s wealth has grown over 500 percent, or from P8.8 million in 1994 to P57.9 million in 2011.
Binay reported the highest uptick in his net worth six months before he took office as vice president in June 2010. Between December 2009 and June 2010, Binay’s personal assets grew by P13.4 million, at the same time that he said he settled liabilities worth P566,665.95.
Know more about Binay’s wealth, campaign spending and contributions, and his social connections in the Public Profiles section of PCIJ’s Money Politics Online.
2 Responses to VP Binay, by the numbers
may
September 15th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Corrupt family only the “binay”
Azrael
October 27th, 2014 at 11:25 am
Filipinos are spiritually and politically weak when dealing with evil such as this. The pragmatic solution is simple: Public Execution. If Philippine politicians caught stealing more than ?1M were simply executed in public, others will not do it. Problem is, Filipinos don’t have the balls to shoot a family member or a friend accused of doing such evil. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about problems like this. The real problem is not Filipinos per se, the real problem is the Filipino cultural norm of “kapatiran”, “kapamilya”, “kabarkada”, and “utang na loob”. If only Filipinos strived to be wise and do the right thing instead of worrying what friends and family would say, the Philippines would be a better place. Leaders of mainstream religions also add to the problem because they would say that my comment here is wrong and, sadly, Filipinos who fear for their souls would blindly believe what they say. The Philippines would have been better off with a socialist government like PRC that instantly deals with the problem pragmatically. Not that I care about PRC, but I agree that religion is poison. Every weekend when parents bring their children to Church slowly adds to their inability to solve this problem when they grow up. Most corrupt politicians are backed up by mainstream religions. Religion and politics enslaves us. I believe in freedom, but to make the right decision, you would have to put aside family, friends, religion, and politics. Otherwise, we remain slaves to ignorance and mediocrity.