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Businessman Christophe Bariou has come forward with allegations of harassment and a PhP50-million extortion attempt allegedly involving representatives of unnamed local government officials in Siargao, where he and his girlfriend, actress Nadine Lustre, currently resides.

"Corruption and political greed have been eating away at Siargao for decades," he wrote on the caption of his Instagram posts on Saturday, October 11.

The post included a series of photos containing a lengthy statement, claiming that he and his businesses have been subjected to intimidation after refusing to cooperate with what he described as an extortion attempt linked to the Union-Malinao Bridge project, a controversial infrastructure plan he and Nadine have publicly opposed.

The proposed five-kilometer bridge is designed to connect Barangays Union, Malinao, and two other areas, offering a panoramic view of the island. However, several local residents and civic organizations have expressed strong opposition, warning that the project could displace long-time communities, livelihoods, and damage the environment.

Christophe, a French-Filipino entrepreneur who has called Siargao home for over a decade, condemned what he described as a culture of corruption and political greed that has plagued the province for years. He urged accountability from the officials allegedly involved, emphasizing the need to protect Siargao's natural and cultural heritage from destructive development projects.

In his post, Christophe reflected on his years on the island and the struggles he has encountered:

"I have lived here for 11 years, always striving to contribute something positive to the island and to the livelihood of the Lumads. Yet through the years, I, like so many others, have faced harassment and attempts at intimidation from local politicians, both personally and through my businesses.

"I am disgusted by the cycle of corruption, political bullying, both online and offline, and vote-buying funded by public money, all of which I have personally witnessed. For decades, these acts have rigged local elections, compromised the future of an entire generation, and damaged the environment, while those in power have weaponized the very institutions meant to protect it.

"I have fought back quietly and legally, trusting due process and the rule of law despite all their flaws. But in a time when "ghost projects" and the misuse of public funds are being exposed nationwide, silence only helps the guilty. Siargaonons' future has been stolen in plain sight for years."

He then recounted an incident that allegedly occurred before the local elections, when individuals claiming to represent certain politicians approached him and Nadine.

"Before the elections, individuals claiming to represent certain politicians approached Nadine and me, offering to 'resolve' the bridge issue if we provided 50 million in cash. When that obviously failed, they proposed, 'Join us and support us during these local elections and... maybe we can sit down and talk about the bridge.'

"Nadine's answer was firm: "We don't make deals with corruption... ever."

"It is now clearer how public money can be turned into a weapon during elections.

According to Christophe, the situation worsened after they refused the alleged offer. He described a series of retaliatory actions targeting his business operations on the island.

"What followed were waves of harassment against my business. For weeks, we endured countless and random inspections that failed to uncover anything questionable.

"My business permit renewal was unlawfully put on hold, and even unauthorized soil testing, conducted in search of any possible violation, despite years of documented DENR clearances, occurred on our land by unnamed government workers who refused to identify themselves with a badge, as required by law.

"They bullied and shouted at my staff for legally filming and documenting their actions. I filed an anti-red-tape complaint with ARTA; the agency ruled in our favor and ordered my business permit released immediately."

Christophe further revealed that he has already taken legal steps to address the alleged corruption he has witnessed. He said he filed corruption-related cases before the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman in Davao, while also urging national agencies to scrutinize irregularities in Siargao.

In his post, he appealed directly to government authorities, saying "I respectfully call on Secretary Vince Hizon of the DPWH, whose ongoing efforts to address corruption seem genuine, as well as on every national agency investigating the misuse of public funds, to include Siargao Island among their priorities for review and reform."

This is not the first time Christophe has spoken out on environmental and governance issues. The animal advocate, who shares the same passion for sustainability as Nadine, has consistently used his platform to defend Siargao's ecological integrity.

Just last September, he and Nadine voiced their anger over the construction of a luxury villa on the island, which reportedly led to the destruction of coral reefs, a move that sparked outrage among local conservation groups.

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