NBI: Velasco couple left Philippines amid cash delivery claims

Former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and his wife, Rowena, have left the Philippines and have not returned amid allegations of making cash deliveries to Vice President Sara Duterte.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag said during a radio interview on Tuesday, September 29, that this had been confirmed by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“May initial information kahapon na noong August 30 umalis ata si dating speaker at nagsabing babalik dapat ng September 14 pero wala pa pong return,” he disclosed.

(We received initial information yesterday that Velasco left last August 30 and had said he would be returning last September 14 but has not returned.)

“Eto naman pong si Rowena Velasco umalis noong September 24 at ang sabi babalik po ng 27.
Nagpunta po ng Hong Kong pero minomonitor po at tinanong na po namin sa immigration ito,” he added.

(Rowena left last September 24 and was supposed to return last September 27. She went to Hong Kong and we have asked the BI to monitor her return.)

Matibag said the NBI sought verification from the BI about the couple’s travel after being informed by former policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. that Velasco and his wife had already left the country.

Gracioso, who was previously detailed to Velasco, went to the NBI to offer his testimony that he delivered billions of pesos in cash to family members of former President Rodrigo Duterte upon the instruction of the former speaker.

The NBI chief said the bureau will be sending invitations today to Vice President Sara Duterte, her brother, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, and the Velasco couple to shed light on the claims made by Gracioso.

“It is their choice kung gusto nila pumunta o hindi. Sana po pumunta para magbigay linaw po,” said Matibag.

(It is their choice to appear or not. I hope that they come so they can shed light on the allegations.)

The director said that Gracioso had already undergone polygraph testing concerning his background, and the results showed 99 percent truthfulness in his statements.

Matibag said, “tinanong namin siya kung payag siya na sumalang ulit sa lie detector test at siya ay tatanungin namin base roon sa mga kanyang mga payahayag doon sa kanyang affidavit at kinumpirma niya siya ay papayag ulit.”

(We asked him if he is willing to undergo another lie detector test concerning his allegations and Gracioso agreed.)

The director said Gracioso is set to appear on September 30 or October 1 at the NBI to undergo a polygraph test.