TACLOBAN CITY — Former Leyte 3rd District Representative Vicente Veloso has denied allegations linking him to the supposed overpricing of a farm-to-market road (FMR) project and alleged land grabbing in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City, as featured in the October 19 episode of ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS)’.
In a statement sent to Leyte Samar Daily Express on Tuesday,Oct.21, Veloso described the report as “misleading and false,” saying that Barangay San Roque is outside his former congressional jurisdiction.
“I have no comment on the issue regarding the FMR in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City, because said barangay is located within the first district of Leyte, not within the third district, which I previously represented,” Veloso said.
Veloso served as a congressman from 2016 to 2022 and is now an associate justice of the Court of Appeals. He clarified that he had no involvement in the P100-million FMR project cited in the report, which remains under construction.
“Since July 1, 2022, I have ceased to be a member of Congress; therefore, I am not in any position to explain how the farm-to-market road in Brgy. San Roque was allegedly allocated P100 million,” he added.
Veloso also denied accusations of land grabbing, saying the KMJS report falsely portrayed his family’s land acquisitions.
“Your first interviewee claimed that I bought lands at a low price. However, as my family and I acquired those lands many years ago, we cannot make any comment on what may now be considered ‘cheap’ or ‘fair market value,’” he said.
“It is enough to stress that your own interviewee admitted that the lands were bought, which clearly disproves your report’s claim that I grabbed the land.”
He specifically refuted the claim of Erlinda Bermudo, who alleged that he took her property near the FMR site. Veloso said their prior dispute involved a different property located in Sitio Picas, Barangay Guinciaman, San Miguel, Leyte — not in Tacloban City.
He cited a Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB) ruling dated June 8, 2004, which dismissed the appeal of Bermudo’s group, Alyansa han Parag-uma ha Sab-a Basin. The decision, he said, became final and executory on October 26, 2004.
Veloso has since called on GMA Network and the KMJS production team to correct what he described as false and damaging information.
“I urge GMA Network and the program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho to immediately correct the false information broadcast in your documentary to prevent further damage to my reputation and to ensure the integrity of your reporting,” he said.
The controversial KMJS episode has stirred discussions in Leyte, with some residents calling for clarification from both the media outlet and concerned government agencies regarding the FMR’s funding and ownership issues.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
