Ex-PCGG official accuses Villar of illegal land deal

📷: Former Sen. Manny Villar

A former government official has accused real estate tycoon and former senator Manny Villar of making backdoor dealings and blatant attempts to circumvent Philippine law to secure a prime piece of foreclosed land.

In a Facebook post,  former commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Ruben Carranza detailed an unsettling encounter with Villar that paints the business magnate as a power-abusing political figure pursuing personal gain at the expense of public trust.

Carranza, who was also a member of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) board, said Villar personally arranged a meeting at the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel years ago, where the real estate mogul-turned-politician allegedly attempted to secure a UCPB-foreclosed property in Cavite—an acquisition that would have significantly boosted the value of Villar’s adjacent developments.

“Villar couldn’t say what he wanted straight out,” Carranza recounted, noting that the former senator sought ways to bypass proper channels and banking regulations.

Carranza, who at the time was involved in preserving the integrity of UCPB assets under PCGG and Bangko Sentral oversight, said he immediately refused to entertain Villar’s request.

“Just the fact of him bringing this up with me already broke the Philippine Constitution in at least three places,” Carranza said.

“This was a senator, pursuing his private business interest, wanting to go around banking regulations and suborning another public official to break the law,” Carranza added.

Carranza, a senior expert at the New York-based International Center for Transitional Justice, further hinted at the broader web of political enablers backing Villar, pointing to the Remullas—an influential political clan in Cavite—who he claims continue to play supporting roles much like their patriarch did under Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Despite the gravity of the allegations, there has been no official response from Villar or his camp as of press time. Calls for an investigation are beginning to mount, with political watchdogs and concerned citizens urging transparency and accountability from those in power.

At 75 years old, Villar holds the title of the wealthiest Filipino, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $17.2 billion (approximately ₱984.4 billion) as of April 1, 2025. (TCSP)