Lacson willing to sell mansions at half price to DOJ, NBI chiefs

Sen. Panfilo Lacson offered yesterday to sell his house in Parañaque City and the build-and-sell project in Ayala-Alabang to Justice Secretary Hernando Perez and National Bureau of Investigation Director Reynaldo Wycoco at half the value of the two properties as assessed by the NBI and the DOJ.

The two government agencies had estimated the property on Kirishima st., BF Homes, Parañaque City at P60 million to P65 million, and the Ayala-Alabang property at P85 to P90 million.

"With the amount they are trying so hard to project, I am even willing to sell my house on Kirishima street at half the price," Lacson said.

He claimed he spent only P750,000 to construct the Kirishima house, and that the property has a current fair market value of only P6 million to P7 million.

"It’s not really for sale, but I’m now tempted to sell it," Lacson said.

He said that the Ayala-Alabang property is registered to a real estate firm, Megastar Real Estate, which he put up with some friends. He said it was constructed using a P15-million loan from Banco de Oro and a personal loan of P18 million.

He denied the claim of the NBI that the house sits on a 1,600-square meter lot and has 10 bedrooms.

"The house sits on a 900 square meter lot and has five bedrooms only," Lacson insisted.

He said that he would convince his real estate business partners to sell the Ayala-Alabang property at 50 percent off.

Lacson explained that with the NBI and DOJ assessment of up to P150 million for the two properties, he and his business partners would be assured of a high return of investment even if the properties are sold at half the price.

He stressed, however, that the offered half-price is only good for Wycoco and Perez "since they are the only ones these days who can shell out millions of pesos to buy houses."

Lacson charged that Perez and Wycoco are "itching so hard" to nail him on a perjury case for possible misdeclaration of his assets and liabilities.

Lacson allegedly did not include the two properties in his declared assets and liabilities.

Wycoco said that a positive result of the NBI proble on the alleged Lacson properties would boost the charges of money laundering and perjury cases filed by state prosecutors against Lacson.

The NBI claimed that Lacson also owned a property on El Grande street, BF Homes. Lacson, however, said that he would not be selling that property.

"I don’t own it," he explained.