Ex-House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is facing a graft and plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman over supposed ill-gotten wealth.
In a 12-page May 6 complaint, Jeffrey Lopez Cabigon, Alvarez’s former security aide, alleged the Davao del Norte lawmaker and his chief of staff in Congress, Edwin Jubahib, violated Republic Act 7080 or Plunder Law and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The complainant of Barangay Tibulao, Carmen, Davao del Norte, cited at least 11 instances in which Alvarez and Jubahib accumulated vast sums of money that they used to buy various luxury vehicles and some large tracts of real estate in Panabo City and Davao City.
He claimed Jubahib, whom he met while working for a mining operation in 2016, was then poor at that time, and that he enriched himself when the lawmaker became the Speaker of the 17th Congress in July 2016.
“They (Alvarez and Jubahib) were able to instantly purchase two ‘Hummer’ vehicles…bought in cash from Subic… respectively, amounting to P6 million and P8 million,” the complaint read.
He said the duo also received two brand new, bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser acquired by Alvarez through Jubahib, and that they also bought an FJ Toyota Cruiser and a Mercedes Benz G55 worth P12 million.
Based on the complaint, some contractors supposedly “gifted” Alvarez and Jubahib with 10 units of bullet-proof Toyota pickups as their commission from public works projects awarded.
Some of these vehicles, Cabigon averred, were presently in the possession of Engr. Edwin Virtudazo who is also running for councilor in Panabo City.
Moreover, in December 2016, Jubahib bought a parcel of land along J.P. Laurel Street, Panabo City for P64 million, while Alvarez through Jubahib was able to acquire a nine-hectare property also in Panabo City at P7 million per hectare for a total of P63 million.
Cabigon, who said he feared for his life, alleged the respondents also allegedly bought P500 million worth of real estate in the Island Garden City of Samal, saying they, too, had other properties.
