Velasco’s camp rejects ‘Alias Chris’ allegations, cites inconsistencies

The camp of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has rejected allegations linking him and Vice President Sara Duterte to purported illegal activities, questioning the credibility of the individual identified as “Alias Chris” and describing his claims as lacking factual basis. 

In a press statement on Friday, Atty. Rowell D. Ilagan, spokesperson for Velasco, said the allegations appeared intended to damage the reputations of both the former House Speaker and the Vice President rather than establish the truth through evidence.

“The account of Alias Chris is riddled with inconsistencies that reveal an apparent lack of personal knowledge and fails to establish any factual basis for attributing unlawful conduct to our client or to the Honorable Vice President,” Ilagan said. 

Ilagan also pointed out that this was the second time an alleged witness had come forward with similar accusations against Velasco.

“This is now the second time a purported witness has surfaced to make similar unfounded allegations against our client, intended to cast aspersions on his character and integrity rather than to establish the truth through evidence,” he said. 

Alias Chris appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation on October 29, introducing himself as a former driver of Velasco. He claimed that he had delivered suitcases to Davao City twice, in 2021 and 2022, allegedly in connection with the Vice President.

However, Chris admitted he did not personally witness Duterte receiving them. 

His allegations followed those of former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who had earlier accused Velasco of allegedly delivering money to members of the Duterte family.

In response, Ilagan urged the public to carefully assess the claims, emphasizing that repeated accusations should not automatically be treated as established facts. 

“We urge the public and the media to exercise prudence in evaluating these accusations. The mere repetition of accusations, no matter how sensational or well-publicized, does not make them true,” he said.

The former lawmaker’s camp said it would continue examining the allegations and the circumstances surrounding their public dissemination to determine possible legal action.