Ex-Speaker Velasco abroad as ex-aide Gracioso bares billions in Duterte bribe

Metro Manila, Philippines – Former Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has been out of the country for a month now, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Tuesday, Sept. 29, weeks ahead of the disclosure of his ex-security aide on supposed billions in bribes to the family of Vice President Sara Duterte. 

The agency said the former lawmaker has no hold departure order or derogatory alert that would have prevented his exit. 

The bureau further said it cannot disclose details on a person’s immigration records in line with data privacy laws.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag told the media that Velasco had left on Aug. 30 for Japan and was supposed to return on Sept. 14

In a press conference held today, Sept. 30, PCO Usec. Claire Castro stated that the Palace knows about former House Speaker Velasco being out of the country. 

“Mas magandang magbigay siya ng pagpapaliwanag para kung mayroon dapat linisin na integridad, especially iyong kaniyang pangalan at pangalan ng kaniyang asawa,” she said. 

“Mas magandang humarap na lang sila sa pag-iimbestiga at hindi kailangang lumayo at mangibang bansa at hindi magpakita,” she added. 

[It is better for him to provide an explanation if there is the need to clean their integrity, especially his name and the name of his wife. It is better that they face the investigation instead of running away or going abroad and not showing up.]

Meanwhile, dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. also implicated Velasco and his wife in the bribery allegations. 

In his sworn statement submitted to the NBI, Gracioso said he worked for Velasco in 2017 as part of his “close-in” security before he was promoted as head in 2018. 

It was during this time that he supposedly first met then-Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. 

Gracioso said he delivered gifts and suitcases of cash to Duterte from 2018 to 2020 more than 10 times, totaling ₱2 billion.

The NBI said it will verify Gracioso’s accusations, adding that his dismissal from service does not automatically invalidate his allegations.

In a statement, Velasco spokesperson Rowell Ilagan said the “one-size-fits-all” narration of Gracioso was made up to attack as many people as it can, while noting that Velasco’s service record is “untainted with corruption.”