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Who is Gerry Limlingan, the person whose name has surfaced several times in Senate hearings on alleged irregularities involving Vice President Jejomar Binay? Limlingan had been tagged by former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado as a supposed bagman of Binay when he was still Makati City mayor. Bureau of Immigration records show he is still in the country, having last gone abroad in 2003, GMA News' Jun Veneracion reported on "24 Oras" Thursday evening. Yet, despite repeated invitations and subpoenas by the Senate, Limlingan has yet to surface. Mercado had claimed during Senate hearings that Limlingan acted as a supposed dummy of Binay in businesses and properties not declared in Binay's Statements of Assets and Liabilities. These allegedly include Agri-Fortuna Inc., the company that bought Binay's piggery business in Rosario, Batangas.
GMA News has made repeated attempts to contact Limlingan. At the Vistamar Building in Makati where he reportedly resides, a security guard said he had left as early as 2010. Makati City Hall said Limlingan was not one of its employees. The Office of the Vice President also said Limlingan was not connected with it.
'Close friend'
In 2010, when Limlingan survived an ambush in Cainta town in Rizal province, Binay —then running for Vice President—issued a statement describing Limlingan as a close friend. At the time, Binay said the ambush may have been politically motivated. Binay's spokesman Joey Salgado said Limlingan was never an employee or consultant of the Makati CIty government or the Office of the Vice President. "I wouldn't know the level of closeness," he added.
Mitzi Sedillo
On the other hand, Mercado also mentioned one Mitzi Sedillo, supposedly another dummy of Binay at Agri-Fortuna and supposedly an aide of Limlingan. Sedillo allegedly has a unit at a housing project of the Makati City government. The housing unit has a rental rate of P3,900 a month. But the administration of Makati Home said that while Unit 127 is in Sedillo's name, they could not say if Sedillo actually lived there.
Bernadette Portallano
On the other hand, one Bernadette Portallano was also tagged by Mercado as a director and officer of Agri-Fortuna, and another supposed dummy of Binay. GMA News went to Portallano's house in West Rembo in Makati but was told she had transferred to Cavite province. Portallana reportedly worked at a funeral parlor that was involved in the Makati city government's burial-for-the-poor program.
Salgado said that while it is easy to make accusations, it is a different thing to prove them in court. "Madali magparatang. Madali magturo ng pangalan. But ... will that stand in court? Kung tingin nila may basehan, dalhin sa korte," he said. - msn.com
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