Ombudsman orders dismissal of Albay guv Grex Lagman

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Albay governor Edcel Greco “Grex” Lagman from his post due to grave misconduct in connection with accepting payola or payoff from jueteng, an illegal numbers game.

Lagman has denied the allegations and said he will appeal the decision.

In a 15-page decision dated January 28, 2025 but only released on Tuesday, April 29—or 13 days before the May 12 elections—the Ombudsman’s office said that at least 60 bank deposit slips, together with the initial accusatory affidavits of complainant and witnesses, showed that Lagman received payoffs worth P8.1 million from August 2019 to June 2022.

“These payolas were given in consideration or by reason of respondent being the Vice-Governor of the Province of Albay [then] in exchange for some future favor in relation to the operation of jueteng, an illegal numbers game. The same were given in anticipation of a protection for the operation of jueteng and the proliferation thereof in said province,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman then said that what happened is tantamount to the commission of indirect bribery on the part of Lagman since the incident met all elements of the said crime such as: the offender is a public officer; the public office accepts gifts or benefit; and these gifts are offered by reason of his office.

“In this case, the payolas were given in anticipation of some favor from respondent, in whatever capacity and manner he may do as a public officer, to protect the continuous operation of jueteng and the proliferation thereof in said province,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman said that Lagman also failed to refute the allegations against him and even admitted that the subject bank accounts to which these amounts were deposited belongs to him.

In addition, the Ombudsman said Lagman did not explain the source and purpose of the P8.1 million worth of deposits to his account, and that there was no evidence that Lagman objected to receiving such deposits, assuming that he had no knowledge or consent to these alleged illegal cash transactions.

Instead, the Ombudsman said Lagman “merely invoked” the Bank Secrecy Law to assail its admissibility of bank deposit slips as evidence.

Further, the Ombudsman said the statements of complainant and his witnesses, through their initial sworn affidavits, established that respondent promised that he “will look the other way” and "refrain from using their investigative powers inquiring into the known proliferation of jueteng in Albay." Even granting that such promise is too general that it could not be identified which official duty of a Vice Governor or Presiding Officer under the Local Government Code he pledged to refrain from doing, it was shown, however,that due to such promise, respondent received benefits and/or payolas from the operation of jueteng,” the Ombudsman said.

“Said circumstance qualifies him as a coddler and a protector under Republic Act 9287 or An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Game. This Office finds that respondent had been animated by a corrupt motive to benefit from illegal gambling, and his corrupt actions were willful and done with discernment. Wherefore, Edcel Greco Lagman is found guilty of grave misconduct and is meted the penalty of dismissal from the service and its accessory penalties,” the Ombudsman added.

The decision was signed by Graft Investigation & Prosecution Officer III Team Members Lucielo Ramirez, Jr. Sylvester Alcazar and Bonifacio Mandrilla.

Lagman denies allegations

GMA News Online has reached out to Lagman for comment. But Lagman, who is running for reelection as Albay governor for the May 2025 polls, has also issued a statement on his social media accounts.

"Ako ay naninindigan na hindi ako tumanggap ng anumang payola mula sa jueteng noong ako ay nakaupo na bise gobernador mula 2019 hanggang 2022," he said in a post on Facebook.

(I affirm that I never accepted any payola from jueteng from the time I was vice governor in 2019 to 2022.)

"Katunayan, sa simula pa lamang ng aking panunungkulan bilang gobernador noong December 1, 2022, ay inilatag ko na kaagad  na hindi ako pabor sa jueteng. At dahil sa aking malinaw at matatag na posisyong ito, walang nangahas na mag alok sa akin ng payola o anu mang uri nito hanggang ako ay bumaba sa aking pwesto dahil alam nila hindi ko ito tatanggapin."

(In fact, from the start of my governorship on December 1, 2022, I immediately stated that I am not in favor of jueteng. And because of my clear and adamant position on this, no one has tried to offer my any kind of payola because they knew I would not accept it.)

Lagman added that upon receiving the decision he has stepped down as governor and that they are planning to appeal the decision. — BM, GMA Integrated News

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