Warriors of Narvacan, through their president, Atty. Estelita Cordero, on Monday, 20 October, filed complaints of graft and plunder against former Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson, among others, over the alleged illegal sale of government-owned land in Ilocos Sur.

Together with Singson, the violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act complaint was also filed against his alleged co-conspirators, including former PTA General Manager Robert Barbers, Luzviminda Ramos, Northern Star Management Corporation, and PENRO Rosemarie Jornacion.

The complaint stemmed from the alleged illegal privatization of a foreshore area in Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, known as “Santorini,” by constructing resort-like structures without permits or environmental clearance.

Furthermore, it also questioned the 2008 Deed of Sale executed by Barbers, transferring public land to Ramos’s company without presidential approval.

Meanwhile, the plunder complaint filed against Singson also involved Vice Mayor Pablito Sanidad Sr., Mayor Edna Sanidad, members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Narvacan, Municipal Assessor Arlene Debina, and Raymond Ang of Western Textile Mills, Inc.

According to the complaint, the respondents allegedly conspired to defraud the Municipality of Narvacan by approving and executing the purchase of a 99,974-square-meter property from Western Textile Mills, Inc.

According to the Warriors of Narvacan, the property was purchased for P149,961,000, despite its zonal valuation of only P49,987,000. The significant markup of nearly P100 million was said to constitute ill-gotten wealth under Republic Act No. 7080, or the Plunder Law.

In the complaint, Singson was identified as the alleged main plunderer, having initiated and negotiated the purchase, while the Sangguniang Bayan members, assessors, and Ang were named as co-conspirators. It also stated that the local government’s failure to submit financial statements from 2019 to 2022 allegedly concealed the irregularity.

According to Atty. Cordero, their complaints, which dated back to 2019, were only filed now as they believed they would not be heard by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte due to his alleged connection to Singson.

“Will you dare to file at the time of Duterte? His friend? Duterte is his accomplice,” Atty. Cordero said in Filipino.

“This buying of land by him at a very high price—his destruction of our coastline—that happened way back in 2019. Now, in 2019, Duterte was the president. How could you even attempt to file a case against him then, when he had control of Martires?” she added.