Former Narvacan, Ilocos Sur mayor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson has denied allegations that he profited from a land deal and misused public funds, calling the graft and plunder complaints filed against him on Monday ‘baseless, malicious, and politically motivated.’
Singson issued a video statement after Warriors Ti Narvacan, Inc. – an organization advocating good governance and public accountability – lodged the complaints against him before the Office of the Ombudsman. The group was represented by Atty. Estelita Cordero.
‘The complaint alleges that I profited P100 million from the sale of a 10-hectare property to the Municipality of Narvacan. The facts clearly show the opposite is true,’ the former mayor said.
Singson claimed that the market value of the property at the time was actually P8,000 per square meter, bringing the total value to P800 million since the 10-hectare parcel covers 100,000 square meters.
‘This transaction resulted in a personal loss of approximately P680 million on my part, demonstrating a substantial act of assistance, not an attempt to profit or plunder. My sole intent was to sincerely help our municipality,’ he said.
‘Furthermore, to underscore this intent, I arranged the entire transaction and opted not to immediately transfer the title to prevent any future issues like double-selling, treating it purely as aid,’ he added.
Singson likewise claimed that Cordero is the first cousin of a political rival whom the former mayor previously defeated in Narcavan.
‘Atty. Cordero has a history of harassing me and repeatedly soliciting financial contributions. I have, on numerous occasions, given money through various intermediaries just to appease her requests. The filing of this complaint appears to be a direct act of retaliation after I refused her most recent demand,’ he claimed.
Singson added that Cordero even personally visited his residence, saying that she ‘wished to retire’ and even asked him ‘purchase her alleged hotel resort for 20 million pesos.’
‘Upon inspection, the property was clearly nothing more than a small residential home with two cramped rooms-not a hotel resort by any definition. Recognizing the exorbitant price and apparent scam, I declined the purchase. Her subsequent anger led directly to the filing of this fabricated plunder charge,’ he further detailed.
In line with this, Singson urged the Office of the Ombudsman to ‘examine the merits of this complaint against the hard facts.’
‘Furthermore, I challenge the Ombudsman to finally look into the complaint I filed a long time ago against Atty. Cordero’s first cousin, which has, for too long, been idly parked in that office,’ he concluded.
Warriors Ti Narvacan, Inc. filed a plunder complaint against Singson and several local officials, over the alleged overpriced purchase of a nearly P150-million property in the municipality in 2019.
The respondents include a former member of the Sangguniang Bayan, a former municipal assessor, and a representative of Western Textile Mills Inc.
Singson, who served as Narvacan mayor from 2019 to 2022, was identified by the group as the ‘main plunderer’ for allegedly initiating and negotiating the property’s purchase, while members of the Sangguniang Bayan, the municipal assessor, and the representative of Western Textile Mills Inc. were tagged as ‘co-conspirators.’
Additionally, the group likewise lodged a graft complaint against Singson and three other individuals over the alleged irregularities in the use of public funds, particularly those linked to tobacco excise tax allocations intended for the development of Narvacan.
In the graft complaint, the group alleged that Singson and the three other respondents ‘illegally occupied and privatized the foreshore area in Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, known as Santorini, by constructing resort structures without permits or environmental clearance.’