SILG Remulla urges Velasco couple to return to PH, take polygraph test over alleged cash delivery to Duterte family

Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday urged former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife to return to the Philippines amid allegations linking them to cash deliveries to members of the Duterte family.

In an ambush interview, Remulla challenged the Velasco couple to undergo a polygraph test.

“I dare the Velasco couple to come home and take the same polygraph para makita natin kung sino talaga nagsasabi ng totoo,” he said.

(I dare the Velasco couple to come home and take the same polygraph so we can see who is really telling the truth.)

Remulla issued the call after former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. underwent a polygraph examination administered by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Gracioso surfaced last week and claimed that he delivered suitcases containing over P2 billion in cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, her father former president Rodrigo Duterte, and her brother Representative Paolo Duterte.

The ex-cop said he was ordered by Velasco while he was the lawmaker’s former security aide.

According to Remulla, the lie detector test indicated that Gracioso was telling the truth when asked about his alleged delivery of cash. However, Remulla acknowledged that polygraph results are not admissible in court.

Remulla also acknowledged that Gracioso has a problematic past including dismissal from the service, suspension, and administrative cases. But the DILG head said these do not necessarily invalidate the ex-cop’s allegations.

“But even a broken clock is correct twice a day,” Remulla said.

Meanwhile, Remulla said that Velasco and his wife, Rowena, are currently in Niseko, one of the most exclusive vacation spots in Japan.

“They are in Niseko, Japan. Meron silang bahay roon na the most exclusive vacation spot sa buong Japan. Mahal doon sa Niseko, mayayaman lang nakakapunta doon. So far, to our information, nandoon silang mag-asawa,” he said.

(They are in Niseko, Japan. They have a house there, which is the most exclusive vacation spot in Japan. It's expensive in Niseko, only the rich can go there. So far, to our information, they are there.)

Earlier, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that Velasco is currently not in the Philippines, saying there is no derogatory record preventing his departure from the country.

The BI also noted that there is no existing hold departure order against Velasco.

GMA News Online is attempting to reach out to the former lawmaker for comment. His camp on Saturday released a statement on what it called “fabricated attacks” against him, saying the allegations have “no basis.”

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday said she does not know Gracioso and refuted his claims she received money from him.

Follow facebook.com/gmanewsonline for real-time news and developments in the Philippines and around the world.
—RF, GMA News