Floirendo says arrest warrant out for him over Tadeco controversy

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr. on Monday, February 19, said a warrant of arrest has been issued against him in relation to a probe into his company’s deal with the government.

In a statement to media, Floirendo said the warrant stemmed from the graft complaint filed against him by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez at the Ombudsman.

“Publicly announcing that I have a warrant of arrest in connection with the case he filed against me prior to the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of the same shows Speaker Alvarez’s malicious intent in maligning my person which has characterized his obsession to remove my family’s imminent place in the banana industry,” he said.

In March last hear, Alvarez filed a graft complaint before the Ombudsman against Floirendo over a questionable deal between the government and the latter’s company, Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco).

Alvarez accused his Floirendo of graft for having an unlawful “business interest” while serving as an elected official.

The two lawmakers used to be allies belonging to the same political party, PDP-Laban.

But the party terminated Floirendo’s membership in October last year, which he said was done without due process mandated under the PDP-Laban’s constitution and by-laws.

Floirendo was among the individuals who funded President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign in 2016.

In Monday’s statement, Floirendo said he is confident that he would be given due process “to protect my constitutional rights including the presumption of innocence.”

Floirendo slammed the Speaker, whom he said has “forgotten in his consuming desire to paint me guilty in the eyes of the public.”

“Unlike the Speaker, my name has not been tarnished since I held a public office. It is only now that it is being assaulted and by him. Truth will prevail. In the end, law of karma will move inexorably,” he said. — Rappler.com