Arrest order revives Floirendo-Alvarez word war

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The warrant of arrest the Sandiganbayan issued against Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. on Monday revived the word war between him and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Floirendo on Wednesday said the arrest warrant was “a clear sign of the existence of abuse of power and arrogance on the part of the Speaker.”

Taking exception to Floirendo’s statement, Alvarez said in a press briefing, “Whoa, this is part of due process!”

Graft case

The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division issued the warrant against Floirendo for the case of graft stemming from Floirendo’s stake in a corporation that raises bananas for export on government land in Mindanao.

The case arose from the complaint filed by Alvarez in March last year.

The antigraft court’s Sixth Division also issued a hold departure order barring Floirendo from leaving the country without approval from the court.

The warrant was sent to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Wednesday morning.

Floirendo personally posted a cash bond of P30,000 for his temporary liberty at the sala of Regional Trial Court Judge Emmanuel Carpio in Davao City past 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The congressman pledged to make himself available at all times and to “appear before the court where his case is assigned.”

‘Veiled attempt’

Floirendo also pledged to submit a copy of his approved bond undertaking to the Sandiganbayan.

After Floirendo posted the bond, Carpio directed “all enforcement officers” to “cease and desist from enforcing the warrant of arrest” the Sandiganbayan had issued against Floirendo.

“While I welcome the hastily filed complaint, I would like to point out that this transgression on the part of the Speaker is not only political but a veiled attempt at grabbing the deal for his business and personal interest,” Floirendo said in a statement.

He insisted that the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Tagum Agricultural Development Corp. (Tadeco) deal that first began in 1969 “benefits thousands of inmates and their families, and has provided livelihood to thousands of residents and workers.”

Alvarez said Floirendo should concentrate on his criminal defense instead.

“The problem with him is he cannot understand,” the Speaker said. “He’s so used to not being held accountable for his abuses his whole life because of their money.”

Floirendo was charged on Feb. 9 with one count of violation of Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for having financial interest in Tadeco, whose joint venture agreement with the BuCor was extended in 2003 to 2029.

At the time, Floirendo was already serving as representative.

Ombudsman prosecutors alleged that he then held 75,000 shares in Tadeco worth P7.5 million.

Most of the banana company’s stocks were also owned by the Floirendo family through the holding company Anflo Management and Investment Corp.

Prosecutors said this violated Article VI, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that no senator or House member shall “directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the government … during his term of office.”

Girlfriends’ spat

Floirendo argued in the Office of the Ombudsman that he did not participate in the negotiation and approval of the joint venture agreement on the use of the Davao Penal Colony land.

But the Ombudsman ruled this was irrelevant because “mere possession of prohibited interest” was enough to indict him for graft.

Floirendo was the top financier of President Duterte’s election campaign, shelling out a total of P75 million, or a fifth of the P376.01-million kitty.

Although Floirendo and Alvarez were Mr. Duterte’s major allies from the Davao region, speculation stemmed that their dispute arose from a fight between Floirendo’s longtime partner and Alvarez’s girlfriend, who confirmed the spat. —With a report from Allan Nawal