Velasco will answer cash delivery allegations at proper time —lawyer

Former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s camp on Monday said they will answer all the allegations against him once they have reviewed the documents, adding that they only formally received the affidavit of former police patrolman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. today.

Lawyer Rowell Ilagan appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to answer its invite following Gracioso’s allegations that he delivered cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, and former president Rodrigo Duterte on Velasco’s instructions.

“Sasagutin po namin sa tamang panahon. We will address all the allegations. So pakihintay na lang po,” Ilagan said in an ambush interview.

(We will answer at the proper time. We will address all the allegations. So please just wait.)

“Lahat po ng allegation sa affidavit niya, sasagutin po namin,” he added.

(All the allegations in his affidavit, we will answer.)

Ilagan said that they are also willing and ready to participate at any time.

Meanwhile, when asked to confirm if the houses raided by NBI agents in August belonged to Velasco, the lawyer reiterated that they will answer at the right time.

“Ngayon lang po namin na-receive formally ‘yung affidavit ni Gracioso so hindi po kami puwedeng mag-issue ng ano mang statement hangga’t hindi official copy ng mga documents,” he said.

(We only formally received Gracioso’s affidavit just now, so we cannot issue any statement until we have the official copy of the documents.)

“Sa panahon po ngayon, ang dali mameke, mag fabricate ng mga ebidensya. Kaya sinasabi namin na maging mapanuri po tayo sa lahat ng alegasyon at sa lahat ng ebidensya na pinapakita sa social media kasi dapat i-test po natin ito,” he added.

(Nowadays, it is so easy to fake things and fabricate evidence. That is why we are saying that we should be critical of all allegations and all evidence presented on social media because we have to test them.)

Velasco’s camp previously said the allegations against him had “no basis.”

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier confirmed that Gracioso had been previously suspended and demoted prior to his dismissal from the service this month.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. also said that Gracioso had previously been assigned to the security detail of Velasco who was then House speaker.

Meanwhile VP Sara Duterte has said that she does not know Gracioso and she did not receive any money from him.

Former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the claim that suitcases containing cash were delivered to the Duterte family is a “fabricated story” to oust and disqualify VP Sara Duterte in the 2028 elections. —KG, GMA News