But Roxas allies belie allegation

MANILA - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) claimed the helicopter used in taking pictures and videos of the agri-tourism park being linked to Vice President Jejomar Binay is owned by the financier of Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, but the latter's allies denied the allegation.

UNA interim secretary general JV Bautista said the Eurocopter EC-130B-4 is owned by billionaire Salvador “Buddy” Zamora II and Eric Gutierrez.

UNA said Zamora, who has a stake in mining, was the principal financier of Roxas during the past elections. Gutierrez, on the other hand, is a mining business partner of Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, according to Bautista.

Roxas carried the Liberal Party banner during the 2010 elections against UNA’s Binay. UNA has linked Roxas to the supposed persecution of Binay.

“Erice is in mining, his partner is Eric Gutierrez. Mr. Gutierrez and Mr. Buddy Zamora are the owners of this chopper. They paid for this flight. Buddy Zamora is a financier of Mar Roxas,” Bautista said.

“This is a well-funded, well-financed, well-organized conspiracy, the principal aim of which is to destroy the chances of Vice President Binay to become the next President in 2016,” Bautista said.

“This conspiracy goes up only to Mar Roxas,” he added.

He also disclosed the passengers of the helicopter -- Dexter Estacio, Marl Jogardi and Ariel Olivar. Bautista showed a passenger manifest.

Bautista added that Estacio is a graphic artist who works for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, one of Binay’s critics. “He (Estacio) works at the Taguig City Hall.”

He alleged former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado lied when he said he was the one who took the photos and videos of Sunchamp Agri-Tourism Park in Rosario, Batangas.

Binay denied ownership of the park. He said he used to lease a space there for his piggery farm.

“He [Mercado] was not (on the flight). He was lying when he said he was there,” Bautista said.

Bautista said they uncovered the plot through the help of friends in the media and inside the Liberal Party.

'NO CONNECTIONS'

Liberal Party member and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice disputed claims that his business partner, Eric Gutierrez, owns the chopper that was supposedly used to take a survey of Binay's alleged properties in Batangas.

"Attorney JV Bautista is either a liar or incompetent. Our company has a chopper but it was never used in either the Batangas or Tagaytay properties of VP Binay. We have no connections with [former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado] but I believe his stories,” he said.

He said he will help in his own personal capacity. “The real issue here is not the ownership of the chopper but the ownership of the Batangas and Tagaytay farm…”

Erice confirmed Gutierrez is his business partner. "Yes, he is my business partner. We have a chopper, pero hindi ito ginamit tulad ng ipinalalabas ni JV.”

'MAR NOT INVOLVED'

Liberal Party Secretary General and Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento maintained Roxas is too busy to be involved in a so-called demolition job against Binay.

"Attorney Bautista must be seeing, hearing, and seeing things that are outside the realm of reality. The so called OPLAN: SN16 is just a product of his fertile imagination," Sarmiento said.

"Secretary Roxas would never be involved in such a so-called demolition job because for one, he doesn't need it, and two, he is too busy with his job as DILG Secretary and has no time for such nonsense," Sarmiento added.

“These people are not even members of LP. Secretary Roxas is focused with his job right now as one President Aquino's most reliable all-around troubleshooter and does not have time for such counterproductive endeavors. There will be time for politics but not now," he said.

'JUST ANSWER RAPS'

Another Roxas ally, Iloilo City Congressman and LP's Visayas party-whip Jerry Trenas, advised Bautista to just convince Binay to answer all the allegations against him instead of blaming other people for his present woes in the Senate.

"I think that the camp of VP Binay should stop the finger-pointing and stop diverting the issue. Dragging the name of Secretary Roxas into his mess will not help him explain the allegations of massive corruption being thrown against him," Trenas said.

Trenas said Roxas should be kept out of this controversy. He said the allegations against Binay were made by an angry and disgruntled former political sidekick who obviously knows a lot of his secrets and now wants to get even.

"This is their fight so they should stop dragging the name of Secretary Roxas into this. Secretary Roxas would not waste his time on politicking especially at this time when there is a need to sustain the momentum of the economic gains achieved under the Aquino government," Trenas pointed out.

Roxas placed second to Binay in the recent Pulse Asia survey on presidential preferences. Binay defeated Roxas in the 2010 vice presidential election.

While Binay has announced plans to run for president in 2016, Roxas has kept quiet, with only key allies like Senate President Franklin Drilon and LP acting president Jun Abaya saying Roxas is their party bet for the presidency.