September 12, 2014 · Posted in: 2013 Elections, Access to Information, Culture, Environment Watch, Maguindanao Massacre, Media, Noynoy Watch
Binay’s accuser, by the numbers
From the PCIJ Files: MAKATI CITY
Ex-VICE MAYOR ERNESTO S. MERCADO
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.
Former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto S. Mercado recently came to the limelight as witness to the alleged kickbacks from public contracts that supposedly went to Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” C. Binay when he was still mayor of Makati City.
Mercado was Binay’s political ally for 15 years before he switched to the Nacionalista Party in 2010. A former businessman, Mercado began his political career as councilor of Makati City in 1992 and was re-elected in 1995. He ran for vice mayor in 1998 but lost to actor Edu Manzano. He returned to public office in 2001 as vice mayor and won his 2004 and 2007 re-election bid. In 2010, Mercado ran for mayor but lost to Jejomar Erwin “JunJun” S. Binay Jr. who ran for mayor in lieu of his father, Jojo Binay, who ran and won as vice president.
How wealthy is Mercado?
Mercado’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) available at the PCIJ library showed that his net worth marked a minimal increase from P62.83 million in 2000 to P63.92 million in 2004.
As of 2004, his total assets stood at P114 million and his liabilities, P50 million. Mercado declared owning P54.3 million worth of properties in Makati City, Pateros, Antipolo City, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Batangas.
His most expensive properties were a P12-million condominium unit in Makati City and P10-million land property in Pateros. He also declared stocks and business investments worth P52.9 million.
5 Responses to Binay’s accuser, by the numbers
joshua democrates
September 12th, 2014 at 6:30 pm
PCIJ Blog is clear as the diamond that you are a paid henchgroup of VP Binay out to discredit Mercado as the principal witness against Binay stealing of public funds.
Arnel Robeniol
September 12th, 2014 at 7:01 pm
Binay’s media campaign has started… so sad nagpapagamit ang PCIJ…
Julius Mariveles
September 13th, 2014 at 11:35 am
Hi, Arnel. I strongly suspect you just might have failed to see another post http://pcij.org/blog/2014/09/12/binay-by-the-numbers. It’s about Binay’s wealth. Happy weekend and hope you enjoy reading it.
Julius Mariveles
September 13th, 2014 at 11:29 am
Hi, Joshua. Just in case you haven’t read this post, we also have an article about VP Binay http://pcij.org/blog/2014/09/12/binay-by-the-numbers. I guess this would balance things out. For your reading pleasure. Thanks for dropping by.
Azrael
October 27th, 2014 at 11:22 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.