Velasco couple, VP Duterte no-shows at NBI

MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife, Rowena, failed to appear on Monday before the National Bureau of Investigation to respond to dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.’s allegations that the former congressman had ordered him to deliver over P3 billion in cash to Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Velascos were represented only by their three counsels who received a copy of Gracioso’s affidavit. One of the lawyers, Rowell Ilagan, reiterated Velasco’s denial of his former security man’s allegations although he confirmed that the two know each other.

Ilagan also refused to answer media queries about the couple’s whereabouts, saying only that they did not escape. “It’s wrong to think that [they escaped]. As private citizens, we can freely travel.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Ex-Davao City information exec denies Gracioso’s suitcase claim

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

That is one of our constitutional rights as individuals,” Ilagan said. He added that the couple would reply to the allegations “at the proper forum and at the proper time.”

The NBI earlier confirmed that Velasco left for Nagoya, Japan in August while his wife flew to Hong Kong in September. Both have yet to return as of last week.

Vice President Duterte was also supposed to appear before the NBI but her camp requested a new date. She earlier denied Gracioso’s accusation, saying she does not know him. —Mary Joy Salcedo