Inspired by Pope Francis, ex-Makati vice mayor to sue Binay

MANILA, Philippines - Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado said he will file a complaint today at the Office of Ombudsman against his former boss, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Mercado announced this on Thursday during the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee probe on the corruption allegations that he has hurled against Binay.

Mercado's complaint will be in connection with his newest accusation that Binay allegedly earned commissions from a supposedly anomalous transaction of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) with Alphaland Corp.

Binay has been the president of the BSP since 1994.

Mercado said he decided to sue Binay because he was inspired by Pope Francis, who challenged Filipinos and politicians to reject corruption.

READ: Pope Francis calls for honesty among political leaders

"Na-inspire po ako noong dumalaw sa atin ang butihing pope. Narinig ko po sa kanyang sinabi: tapusin ang corruption, proteksyunan ang mga kabataan. Na-challenge po ako," Mercado said.

"At kung kinakailangan pong pumunta ako sa civil court, gagawin ko po dahil ang nakasalalay po dito ay mga kabataang miyembro ng Boy Scouts of the Philippines," he also said.

In 2014, Mercado revealed that Binay earned commissions from various overpriced projects in Makati and that he used dummies to hide his ill-gotten wealth such as an agricultural estate in Batangas province.