SINGSON, LUIS "CHAVIT" C.: SLB Profile

Date of Birth: June 21, 1941
Place of Birth: Ilocos Sur
Profession/Occupation: Businessman, Governor

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Elementary: Rosary College (now St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur)
High School: San Sebastian College
College: Letran College - Commerce
University of Sto. Tomas - Architecture

TRACK RECORD:

2004-2007 Governor-Ilocos Sur
1992-2001 Governor-Ilocos Sur
1987-1992 Congressman- Ilocos Sur 1st district
1971-1985 Governor-Ilocos Sur
1961 Councilor-Ilocos Sur

PLATFORM:

Farmers’ welfare and agriculture, strengthening local government units

Citations and Liabilities:

Singson is known to have started EDSA II, when in October 2000 he alleged he gave President Joseph Estrada Php 400 million as payoff from illegal gambling profits. On October 16, 2000, he accused the Estrada, as the "lord of all jueteng lords" for receiving 5 million pesos protection money from jueteng every month during his term of presidency. He also accused the president of receiving kickbacks from 170 million pesos excise tobacco tax. This is equivalent to taking more than US $7.7 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another US$2.5 million in tobacco tax kickbacks.

His exposé ultimately led to the impeachment trial after he accused the President of receiving over P400 million in bribes from jueteng operators. First called to the witness stand by the prosecution on Dec. 13 and continued his testimony on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15. Testified that Mr. Estrada, codenamed A.S. or Asyong Salonga in the jueteng ledger, regularly received a cut from jueteng collections. Claimed that Mr. Estrada would receive a bigger percentage from Bingo 2-Ball, a legal, modified version of jueteng that was the brainchild of the President's friend and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang. Testified that Ang, presidential adviser for Bicol affairs Anton Prieto and former Estrada political adviser Jaime Policarpio regularly received jueteng collections, and that Senators John Osmeña and Teresa Aquino-Oreta received P1 million each as balato from mahjong. Also claimed that he issued a check to beauty queen Joelle Pelaez for and on behalf of Mr. Estrada. Called back to the stand on Dec. 19 as a witness for Article 2 or the impeachment charge of graft and corruption.

After more than 30 years of friendship, Gov. Luis Singson leveled the graft-related accusations that led to the impeachment charges that have been filed against Philippine President Joseph Estrada. He charged that President Joseph Estrada, several members of his family, and his friends were benefiting from jueteng.

Singson said that he had delivered more than 400 million pesos ($8.6 million) in gambling payoffs from jueteng to Estrada. The governor said he began collecting and delivering the money in 1998, a few months after Estrada was elected president. He added that he participated in the payoffs until August 2000, and that the money drops were made in Estrada's office. He also said Estrada had received 130 million pesos ($2.8 million) from provincial tax revenues.

Estrada was put under investigation, but on 16 January 2001, a key piece of evidence was blocked in court, leading to protests in Manila and other major cities backing to vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Estrada's government quickly fell.

In 2005, during the nation's Presidential Hello Garci scandal, Singson claimed he had a tape of a conversation where the jailed president Joseph Estrada stated he was planning to return to power by disposing whoever would lead the transitional government after current president Gloria Arroyo resigns.

STAND ON CHARTER CHANGE ISSUE:

Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson, the host of the consultation, disclosed that it is necessary to review the constitution because of provisions that need to be amended.

We need to do this consultation to identify the pulse of the general public and to identify relevant provisions to be included in the constitution, Singson said.

The three-year term of elected officials was too short and the conduct of election is too expensive, Singson added.

http://www.concom.ph/news/dec062005ilocoswantsparliamentary.php