Alvarez admits properties in Siargao, denies they're worth P500-M

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday admitted that he has "several" properties in Siargao Island, but denied that these amount to an estimated P500 million in total.

Alvarez made the clarification after reports surfaced that he owns seven properties in the island under his name — at least four of them bought in 2017, during his term as House Speaker.

In a press conference, Alvarez claimed that the reports, which he attributed to his political rival, Davao Del Norte 2nd District Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr., whom he challenged to file a case against if he has the "goods."

"Matagal na panahon na ako ay maraming properties diyan, bumibili ako diyan kahit wala ako sa gobyerno," he said.

"As early as 1996, wala pang kuryente doon, nandoon na ako. I was able to accumulate several properties," he added.

Alvarez said that while he has acquired several properties, these are not as expensive as reported.

"Mura lang naman yung properties diyan noong araw e, wala pang kuryente. Ngayon, kung sino man ang diskumpiyado sa sinasabi ko, e magtanong kayo doon sa mga residente nung area kung nagsasabi ako ng totoo," he said.

Alvarez clarified that not all properties in the island are worth P15,000 per square meter, as presumed by those who say that his assets there are worth P500 million in total.

"Maaaring isang area sa Siargao, P15,000, pero ang laki nung isla na yan, hindi P15,000 lahat yan. May P100, may P200, may P1,000, may P2,000. Hindi naman lahat ng areas, P15,000," he said.

"Saka yung sinasabi nila na yan, ang value, yun na ang value sa isip mo. E kung walang bumili, 'yan ba yung value? Magiging actual value yan kapag binenta ko yan at yun yung tinanggap kong presyo doon sa buyer. Ang problema nila, hindi ko naman balak ibenta yung mga properties. So yung value niyan, nasa assessor's office, 'yun yung value niyan," he added.

He also took a jab at Floirendo, saying he isn't a "land grabber."

"Hindi Floirendo ang apelido ko para maging landgrabber. At kung pipilitin din nila na tanggapin ko na akin 'yun, bilhin nila doon sa may-ari yun at ibigay nila sa akin," he said.

"Ngayon, kung sa tingin nila I violated a law, yung [anti-graft and] corruption, then mag-file sila ng kaso at gusto ko siya mismo yung magiging complainant.... Dapat siya mismo ang mag-file ng kaso sa akin because I am willing to face it," he added.

The Speaker also clarified his reported meeting with Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and other officials of the department to discuss holding a cadastral survey on the island.

He said he requested the meeting to discuss the possibility of constructing an international airport in the island.

"Yung airport ngayon, ililipat sa bagong location kasi hindi na kayang i-expand yung airport, napakaliit, at hindi maganda yung alignment ng runway," he said.

Alvarez said the Department of Transportation has already identified the area on which the airport will be constructed, and the agency only needed to look for the owners of such properties to purchase the land where the airport will be built.

"Ginagawa natin ito to promote tourism. At sa ngayon, ito ang area na pinakamagandang alternative na i-develop natin for tourism purposes," he said.

Alvarez said he is willing to release his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth because he has nothing to hide.

"At the right time, kapag may mag-file ng kaso, ilalabas ko lahat. Pero make sure na tama yung fina-file dahil kung hindi, babalikan din kita ng kaso," he said. —JST, GMA News