Chavit Singson
MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in front of the cameras, senatorial candidate Chavit Singson—the larger-than-life political figure known for surviving countless assassination attempts, violent confrontations, and even a near-fatal helicopter crash—shed tears.
In the first episode of a Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN) documentary series titled “The Chavit Legacy” uploaded on his official Facebook page, the man who once made headlines for his ruthless political battles and rumored connections to violence revealed a human side: One who has a personal relationship with his people and one who takes the pursuit of peace seriously.
Watch the whole video on his Facebook Page:
“I’ve never seen you like this,” said the interviewer, as Singson wiped away tears, a rare moment of raw emotion for the seasoned politician.
The senate aspirant was asked to narrate the moment that made him cry. With a shaky voice, Singson shared a painful memory: “When they burned Ora (noong sinunog ang Ora),” he recalled, speaking about the tragic incident in the 1970s when two entire barangays in Ilocos Sur–Ora Este and Ora Centro–were set on fire.
Recalled Singson, two women tried to wake him up at 6 a.m. saying, “Sir, they are burning our houses, but our husbands are fighting back (Sir, sinusunog po ang mga bahay namin. Pero lumalaban po ang mga asawa namin).”
Singson said he advised them to not fight back “because we are helpless against them (wala tayong kalaban-laban).” Singson assured them that he would talk to the provincial commander to stop the attack.
In his conversation with the provincial commander, Chavit said no cases will be filed against his then-political rival Bingbong Crisologo and his goons for the arson and that he will pay for the damages himself for the sake of peace. The provincial commander said he had talked to Crisologo and was assured there would be no more fires.
The following day, Singson painfully recounted, the two women came back. “Sir, you told us not to fight back,” they said, “they burned everything.” Completely torched were two barangays.
In a broken voice, Singson said, “I felt guilty.”
It is a side of Singson that many have never seen—the compassionate, remorseful man behind the tough façade. He is often cast as the “masamang damo” – bad weed or a tough or resilient person that refuses to die – a term used to describe his uncanny ability to survive peril after peril.
Singson’s emotional revelation offers a window into the complexities of a man who is far from the villain that some have made him out to be.
Throughout his storied life, Singson has faced death not once, but multiple times. From surviving seven ambush attempts to narrowly escaping a helicopter crash, he has become almost mythic in his ability to cheat death. “I believe in destiny (ang paniwala ko kasi sa buhay, destiny),” he said.
“If it’s not your time, it’s not your time (kung ‘di mo oras, ‘di mo oras).” And yet, as much as he has weathered violence and betrayal, his greatest emotional wounds seem to lie in the realms of forgiveness and the choices he made in the aftermath of the turmoil.
READ: Chavit Singson, Isko Moreno endorse each other’s candidacies in 2025 polls
Perhaps one of the most poignant moments in the interview came when he discussed the efforts to reconcile with those who once tried to take his life.
Singson spoke of the role he played in the release of his former rivals, including Bingbong Crisologo, who had once been part of a violent faction that opposed him. Despite the bloodshed, Singson’s approach was one of mercy, not vengeance. “I forgave everyone (pinatawad ko lahat),” he said, his tone resolute.
This isn’t the story of a “bad weed” that refuses to die—it’s a story of a man who has lived a life of conflict, but who has, in his own way, sought peace. As he said with quiet humility, “I never retaliated. I leave it to God (Wala akong ginantihan. Bahala na ang Diyos).”
In this rare, emotional interview, Singson revealed the man misunderstood by many. For the first time, the world saw a side of Singson few knew existed—vulnerable, reflective, and most importantly, human.