Pepito Alvarez denies involvement in logging

This concerns the article entitled: “A product of blatant fraud” that appeared in the January 12, 2012 issue of The Philippine STAR, specifically, in the “From The Stands” column of Domini M. Torrevillas.

A statement was made in the said article, which though completely untrue, besmirched my reputation and exposed me to public contempt and ridicule. The said statement read: “. . . in May 2010, running for governor of Palawan, he faced off with the logging and business mogul Pepito Alvarez, intimidating with his vast and fabulous resources built up initially from decades of logging operations in Mindanao (where the recent flooding killed more than a thousand souls.)

The said statement is completely baseless and I categorically deny ever cutting a single tree in Mindanao, much less engaging in logging of whatever scale in the said area.

The fact that statements of similar import also appeared in another national daily (Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 2, 2012 Editorial and January 4, 2012 news item) clearly shows that this is the handiwork of a paid spinmaster.

In any case, the aforementioned statement, which obviously serves no legitimate purpose, was written in reckless disregard of whether they are false or not and has defamed me publicly.

I, therefore, demand for a public rectification of this grievous wrong, even as I reserve the right to avail of whatever legal remedies are available under the circumstances.