MANILA – Businessman and former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson alleged that the cyber libel case filed against him was intended to undermine his credibility following his public criticism of the alleged flood control corruption controversy.
In a statement, Singson disputed reports that he had been arrested at his Quezon City residence, saying he voluntarily sought to post bail for the case but was instead required to undergo police processing.
“It is not true that I was arrested at my residence. What should have been a routine legal proceeding was an attempt to publicly humiliate me,” Singson said.
He also questioned how his booking photograph quickly circulated online, suggesting that its release could not have happened without authorization.
“Within minutes, my booking photograph was already circulating publicly. That does not happen without authorization. Since the police operate under the Executive Branch, we have every right to ask who ordered it and why,” he added.
The Quezon City Police District earlier reported that officers served a warrant against a man identified as “Luis” at a residence in Barangay Ugong Norte on Thursday afternoon for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. A source confirmed that the individual was Singson.
The warrant was issued by Branch 21 of the Regional Trial Court in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. Singson later posted a P60,000 cash bond and was released.
The former governor described several aspects of the case as unusual, including what he claimed was the assignment of a new judge and the pace at which proceedings moved.
Singson linked the filing of the case to his recent calls for an investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
“As I intensified my calls for a full investigation into the flood control controversy and sought answers regarding the use of flood control funds intended to protect Filipino communities from flooding, efforts to discredit and intimidate me soon followed,” he said.
“Hindi ba kapansin-pansin na habang lumalabas ang mga detalye ng korapsyon, ang mga nagsasalita tungkol dito ang siyang pinatatahimik at sinasampahan ng kaso?” he added.
The businessman maintained that the case would not deter him from pursuing allegations related to the flood control issue.
“No arrest, no case, and no amount of political pressure will stop me from pursuing the truth and uncovering who the real mastermind is behind this scandal,” Singson said.
“The more they try to silence me, the more determined I become,” he added.
Last month, Singson claimed that thousands of flood control projects previously cited by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as completed were allegedly “ghost projects.”
The remarks referred to the President’s 2024 State of the Nation Address, where he reported that around 5,500 flood control projects had been completed nationwide as part of the government’s disaster mitigation efforts./PN
