LRay files plunder, graft complaint vs Fuentebella

Allegations a pack of lies, says congressman

MANILA, Philippines - Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte yesterday filed plunder and graft charges against House Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In his complaint, Villafuerte accused the lawmaker and his family of allegedly stealing over P80 million in public funds through questionable government-funded projects.

Also named in the complaint were Sagnay town Mayor Evelyn Fuentebella, Tigaon town Mayor Arnulf Bryan Fuentebella, and former congressman and now Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board Commissioner Felix William Fuentebella.

Rep. Fuentebella, in a statement sent to The STAR, however, denied the allegations which he dismissed as just a “pack of lies.”

Villafuerte, with lawyer Ferdinand Topacio as his legal counsel, said the Fuentebellas caused the construction of a P15-million road, a multi-purpose building, a lighthouse, a seawall, and a sports complex, among others, allegedly in properties which they own or in areas that will not benefit the public.

“All of the foregoing projects, apparently, have two things in common: first, they are all funded from government money; and, secondly and ironically, they are all found in the private properties of the Fuentebellas, mostly within Sitio Elis Point, the property of Arnulfo,” his complaint read.

Villafuerte said the one-kilometer concrete road leads to a P25-million mansion that is adorned with luxurious amenities such as a swimming pool bearing the Fuentebellas’ “F” family symbol.

“It is immediately noticeable that, while the herein subject concrete road, seawall, lighthouse, multi-purpose hall and pavement, were constructed using public funds, no other persons or estates benefit therefrom but the Fuentebellas,” it further alleged.

Fuentebella said he has yet to see the complaint, adding though it would not prosper “because my conscience is clear that I have served our country with all honesty and dedication through the years.”

The lawmaker denied having anything to do with ghost projects or amassing wealth through his government position.

“The problem with LRay is he thinks he owns Camarines Sur, thus he turns a deaf ear to the snowballing clamor from Camarinenses for the establishment of Nueva Camarines,” Fuentebella said.

“As the principal author of the Nueva Camarines bill (HB 4820) which Congress passed with a resounding vote of 229-1, LRay thinks that by attacking me he can stop the paradigm shift to be spurred by the creation of the new province,” he added.

The governor’s father, Rep. Luis Villafuerte Sr., along with fellow Camarines Sur Reps. Rolando Andaya Jr. and Dato Arroyo, co-authored HB 4820 splitting Camarines Sur and creating the new province of Nueva Camarines.