Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) — Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is facing a fresh plunder complaint, this time over his alleged receipt of kickbacks from government projects and use of government funds to buy vehicles, parcels of land and a resort on Samal island.

Jeffrey Lopez Cabigon, who claims to be a former close-in security of Alvarez and his personal aide Edwin Jubahib, alleged in a 12-page complaint filed Monday before the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao that the two bought two Hummers costing ₱6 million and ₱8 million each after the election of the congressman as Speaker.

After that, Cabigon said he and Jubahib received in their “hideout” in Belisario Heights, Davao City two new bulletproof Toyota Land Cruisers, supposedly bought by Alvarez through Jubahib.

Cabigon added that Jubahib and Alvarez bought a new FJ Cruiser and a Mercedes-Benz G5 totalling to ₱12 million.

“Gikan mismo sa baba ni Jubahib na kani tanag kwartaha gikan sa gobyerno ug duga sa pagka-Speaker ni Alvarez,” Cabigon said.

[Translation: It was from Jubahib’s own mouth that the huge amounts of money they were enjoying were all coming from the government and perks of Alvarez being a Speaker.]

However, the former Speaker denied that Cabigon was his security aide.

“Hindi ko kilala ‘yung taong ‘yan. Ngayon, nagtanong ako dito sa mga security ko, sabi ko, ‘Sino ba ito?’ Sabi nila, ‘Sir, ‘yan ‘yung guard na tiga-bukas ng gate,’” Alvarez told CNN Philippines in a phone interview on Thursday.

[Translation: I don’t know that person. I asked my security aides, I said, “Who is this?” They said, “Sir, that’s the guard who opened the gate.”]

This, despite Cabigon showing members of the media in a press conference in Davao City his ID as a security aide in the Office of the Speaker.

Jeffrey Cabigon's ID as a security aide in the Office of the Speaker

“Ang alam ko diyan fake ‘yan,” Alvarez said.

[Translation: What I know is that is fake.]

Samal resort, kickbacks

Cabigon said over the course of two years, Alvarez and Jubahib acquired more properties, including a ₱500-million resort on Samal Island.

“Gani kaniadto nagkuha mi ug isa ka kwarto sa Insular Hotel sa Davao na maoy napuno ug gibutangan ug kwarta pambayad. Niaabot ug usa ka semana ang binayranay sa mga tag-iya sa maong yuta,” Cabigon said.

[Translation: In fact, we got a room at Insular Hotel in Davao City. That room was filled with money for payment of the property. The transaction and payment of the property to their owners took at least one week.]

Alvarez and Jubahib also supposedly bought land in Panabo City worth ₱64 million. In the same city, the two alleged also bought a nine-hectare property for which they initially paid for ₱7 million per hectare and a 100-hectare property worth ₱3 million per hectare.

Cabigon also claimed that the pair bought a 32-hectare property in Davao City Jail and Crocodile Park. He added that Alvarez also bought a mini-forest and rest house along Diversion Road in Davao City.

Aside from these, the two also allegedly bought a house and lot in Magdum, Tagum City worth ₱20 million.

Apart from properties, Cabigon accused Alvarez and Jubahib of buying a D7 bulldozer, mini dump trucks and millions of pesos worth of construction materials. The materials allegedly chosen by the congressman himself were worth at least ₱10 million.

Cabigon also claimed having received on behalf of his boss, 10 bulletproof Toyota pickups from contractors, 20 dump trucks named under Jubahib and 10 mixers.

He said Alvarez and Jubahib own the Davao City-based Blue Crane Construction, which has been contracted by the government to build roads.

He also accused the two of having received kickbacks from the Tagum Flyover project.

“Matag panahon, nag sige ug panghinambog si Jubahib ug mag uban mi na, ‘Ug ma-okay na ang flyover sa Tagum, tiba-tiba jud atoang makuha na kwarta ana,’” Cabigon said.

[Translation: Almost every time when we were together, Jubahib often boasted that, “Once the flyover in Tagum will be okay, we will be raking huge amount of money from that.”]

Cabigon claimed that Jubahib entered one of the rooms in a beach resort in Samal and came out with two suitcases filled with money for “operational expenses,” which was supposedly used for Alvarez’ 60th birthday party and the barangay elections.

It was also during Alvarez’ 60th birthday party that Cabigon claimed to have boarded a car with Jubahib and sat next to boxes filled with money used to pay for guests’ hotel accommodation. In another incident, Cabigon said they placed two suitcases filled with money from the Tagum Flyover project in the car of Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon.

When he ran in May 2018 as barangay captain for Barangay Tibulao in Carmen, Davao del Norte under the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan, Cabigon said he was tasked to hand out at least ₱150,000 from Alvarez to barangay captains in Davao del Norte for the barangay polls.

Barangay officials are not allowed to be affiliated with political parties.

Cabigon said he lost his bid for barangay captain and gradually distanced himself from Alvarez and Jubahib because he “could no longer stomach their corruption.”

Demolition job?

Alvarez said this fresh plunder complaint against him is just a demolition job by his rival for a seat at the House, Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario.

“They’re in a panic dahil hindi nga sila umaangat sa survey. So kung anu-ano nang binabato. Ngayon, ang para sa akin, titingnan natin ‘yung timing,” he said.

[Translation: They’re in a panic because they are not rising in the survey. So they’re coming up with many things. Now, for me, let’s look at its timing.]

He said his accuser should present evidence of his numerous cars and properties.

“‘Yung mga binabanggit niya, hindi ko alam ‘yan. Buti pa siya alam niya, ni ako hindi ko alam na mayroon eh,” Alvarez said.

[Translation: What he’s saying, I don’t know that. Good for him that he knows, but even I don’t know that I own those.]

The former Speaker said he is eyeing countercharges against Cabigon after the elections.

Alvarez is no stranger to plunder complaints.

In 2001, when he was senior assistant general manager and chief operating officer of Manila International Airport Authority, Alvarez was slapped with a plunder complaint for supposedly earning kickbacks from the demolition of subterranean structures to give way for the construction of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The demolition was undertaken by Wintrack Builders, Inc., where Alvarez’ wife, Emelita, is an incorporator.

The case was dismissed by the Ombudsman, but reached the Supreme Court, which ordered the graft buster to conduct a new probe.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.