Alvarez denies he built mansion for ‘mistress’

MANILA, Philippines — Former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has categorically denied a report posted by his eldest son, Alfonso, that he built a mansion for his mistress and acquired properties worth billions, well beyond his pay scale.

“Better conduct an ocular inspection of the area, if there is an iota of truth to the allegations. Yes, he is my son, but even the branding that he was my former chief of staff is not true. Please investigate deeper into his background as a person,” Alvarez told The STAR.

Alvarez was referring to the social media post of Alfonso titled “Road to my Mansion.”

He said the “mansion” sits on top of a hill, surrounded by a concrete perimeter wall, with a long, winding paved road leading to the house. But he did not mention the location of the alleged mansion.

“Of course, there is no mansion to talk about in the first place. Mine is only a three-bedroom house with no amenities,” Alvarez, a stalwart of Duterte’s PDP-Laban, asserted.

He also belied Alfonso’s claim of being his congressional chief of staff from 2019 to early 2024.

He also refused to call Jen Maliwanag his mistress.

“Jen is not my mistress, but rather, she is the mother of my two daughters. Legally speaking, my marital status is single since my marriage to a certain Emelita Apostol has been declared null and void ab initio (from the very start),” he said, pointing to decisions of the Makati regional trial court and the Court of Appeals on the dissolution of the marriage.

Alfonso said he, along with his siblings, have nothing to do with what he believes are proof of the ill-gotten wealth of his father, who served as speaker of the House of Representatives from July 2016 until July 2018, when he was ousted by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but it is, what it is, it’s true, that’s the truth. The mansion is even made of materiales fuertes (strong materials), some items I believe where even imported from Thailand. I know that it’s government money. But we in our family don’t have anything to do with that,” Alfonso stressed.

The mansion was allegedly meant for Maliwanag, where the veteran lawmaker allegedly poured his resources. Alvarez’s children said they also learned that their father acquired properties in Siargao and in Samal Island in Davao.

“He has acquired and invested in so many real estate properties, some or many of them in Siargao and in Samal Island too. And these are worth billions. I also know that he has been using dummies for these properties,” Alfonso alleged.

“I know ordinary folks can’t afford it, like building a house on a mountain top, complete with the concrete perimeter wall from the ground up,” he continued. “I know for a fact that he didn’t have any business, or business empire that can finance that gigantic mansion.”

“Honestly, I really don’t know how he was able to build that mansion that grand,” Alfonso said.