NBI to probe Ping’s mansions

(The STAR inadvertently ran yesterday the wrong photo of a house in Ayala Alabang allegedly owned by Sen. Panfilo Lacson. We apologize to our readers as well as to Senator Lacson and the real owners of the house for any inconvenience they might have suffered.)

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has launched its own probe to determine if opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson indeed owns two mansions in the exclusive Ayala-Alabang subdivision in Muntinlupa City and BF Homes in Parañaque City.

However, Lacson dismissed the allegations as "mere figments of imagination," adding they were part of "a continuing vilification campaign" being waged by his detractors in the Arroyo administration.

"It is the duty of the NBI to find out whether these houses really belong to the good senator," NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said.

He said they would try to unearth documents that would establish true ownership of the houses on No. 233 San Jose st., Ayala Alabang and on No. 280 El Grande st. in BF Homes.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said if evidence warrants, appropriate charges would be filed against Lacson.

"If there is sufficient basis, then the proper charges would be filed, either with the DOJ (Department of Justice) or the Ombudsman depending on the nature of the cses to be filed," Perez said.

The two houses have a combined value of about P150 million.

The property in Ayala Alabang has a lot area of P1,600 square meters and was assessed to be worth P85 million to P90 million, while the BF Homes asset was valued at P60 million to P65 million. Lacson allegedly did not declare the two properties in his annual statement of assets and liabilities (SAL).

Wycoco said they decided to investigate after "concerned citizens" submitted to his office video clips and pictures of the mansions.

He said any positive results of their probe would boost the charges of money laundering and perjury filed by state prosecutors against Lacson.

In a statement, Lacson asserted that he has only one house. "I would just like to clarify that I have only one house, and it is not a mansion, and this is where I live along Kirishima street in BF Homes, Parañaque." He said his old home where the family resides since 1982 sits on a 416-square meter lot.

He said he acquired the property for P750,000 and it has since appreciated to about P7 million at present.

He branded the reports on his alleged mansions as "grossly erroneous and misleading."

Denying ownership of the two mansions, Lacson branded the allegations as "an outright lie."

"They are trying so hard to nail me on a perjury case and for possible misdeclaration in my statement of assets and liabilities. But I’m sure they will fail because I have always been truthful in declaring my net worth," Lacson said.

He expressed concern that the allegations have whipped up a controversy that would hurt the viability of a company he put up, and possibly disallow it to settle interest payments on its loans.

"It is very clear that damage has been done here, not only to my reputation but also to the business we have entered into," the senator rued.

Lacson reiterated that the house in Ayala Alabang was registered in the name of Megastar Real Estate which he put up with some associates at a subscribed capital of P2 million, and paid capital of P125,000.

Newsbreak magazine initially broke the story on his alleged mansions.

"It was a build-and-sell venture of the company that costs some P33 million. Of this amount, P18 million was raised through a personal loan granted to the company by a friend of Senator Lacson while the balance of P15 million came from a bank loan out of the Banco de Oro credit line of Chong Hok Teng Ong, a shareholder of the firm (Megastar)," a statement released by Lacson’s office stated.

The statement also said Lacson’s investment with Megastar was reflected in his 2001 SAL

On the other hand, Lacson denied ownership of the house on El Grande.

It added that the senator bought a house in the United States, but was not able to meet the amortizations and was forced to sell it at cost with the remaining balance assumed by the buyer.