NBI confirms Velasco owns two alleged cash houses identified by Gracioso

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday said that two of the seven so-called cash houses identified by dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. are owned by former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife.

“We were able to establish that among the seven so-called cash houses, we have already established two owned by the Velasco spouses,” Matibag said in a press briefing.

“Ayun ‘yung claim mismo ni Mr. Gracioso na siya nakapasok doon at nakita,” he added.

(That is the claim of Mr. Gracioso himself, that he was able to enter there and saw it.)

Gracioso previously alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, and former President Rodrigo Duterte on Velasco’s instructions.

According to Matibag, the NBI will continue to investigate the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Government Service Insurance System, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Anti–Money Laundering Council.

“Kung paano nagkaroon ng property, paano na-acquire, sino pa ‘yung ibang owners nito, interesting na owners, ma-identify natin. Tapos saan nanggaling yung pondo… at yung iba pang alegasyon ni Mr. Gracioso na ating i-va-validate,” he said.

(How the property was acquired, how it was acquired, who the other owners are—we can identify the interesting owners. Then where the funds came from… and the other allegations of Mr. Gracioso that we will validate.)

In August, NBI agents conducted raids on houses allegedly owned by Velasco and his wife, Rowena, upon receiving information that these contained high-powered firearms.

Matibag said the bureau initially did not know that the houses supposedly belonged to the couple.

He said Rowena was present during the service of the search warrant.

Both Velasco and Duterte have denied the allegations against them. —LDF, GMA News