Chavit Singson
Encyclopedia
Luis Crisologo Singson (born June 21, 1941), better known as Chavit Singson, is a Filipino
politician
. He was a former Governor
of the province of Ilocos Sur
, Philippines
since 1998. He ran for the Senate in the 2007 Elections
in the Philippines
but he lost greatly. He ran in 2010 as governor of Ilocos Sur and won.
, Ilocos Sur
. He is the second among the seven children of José Singson and Caridad Crisólogo. His other siblings, aside from Evaristo (Titong), are Bernardo (deceased), Fernando (Dodoy), Maria Olivia (Honeygirl), Jeremias (Jerry), Germelina (Germy) and Jose, Jr. (Bonito).
Singson's growing-up years were spent in Vigan, where he led a normal childhood "with a very liberal upbringing and a lot of opportunity to play and make friends." He apparently got his own fondness for jueteng
from his mother who loved the game. Despite their prominence in the province, it was not always a life of wealth for the Singsons. At one point, the family had to sell their appliances. Singson learned how difficult life was without money. Singson's character was strengthened especially with the seemingly unending family squabbles and political dynasties of his youth, the tobacco industry in Ilocos and how the Singsons got into tobacco growing and trading. The family brought the first redrying plant to Ilocos in the '60s. He studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran
in Manila and finished his Commerce degree.
Both his paternal (Singson) and maternal (Crisologo) families have dominated the political environment of the Ilocos region for generations. Although many members of both families, such as Chavit are related to one another, the two families have shared a bitter feud which reached its apex in the 1960s and 1970s, when shootings and political intimidation were rampant in the Ilocos region. Chavit considered his uncle, Floro Crisologo as a mentor, but eventually had a severe falling out with his cousin and once-confidant Vicente "Bingbong" Crisologo
(who was Floro's son) and there were many bloody encounters between the two. It is currently stated by both sides that tensions have eased. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/52070.stm
Singson later cohabited
with Rachel "Che" Tiongson, with whom he has five children. In early September 2009, he was charged with assaulting Tiongson and her boyfriend. Singson insisted that he caught Tiongson and her unidentified boyfriend in flagrante delicto
, in her own apartment. Tiongson, on the other hand, insists that she and Singson have long separated.
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Leila De Lima
on September 5, 2009 assailed deputy National Security Adviser Luis Singson for his "arrogance" and urged his common-law wife Rachel 'Che' Tiongson to file a human rights complaint.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, de Lima lamented Singson's statement in media interviews, including with dzMM and ABS-CBN News, that Tiongson and her boyfriend should be thankful he did not kill them for their affair.
. After losing the elections, Singson had been appointed Deputy National Security Adviser, on September 5, 2008 by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
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 $10 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another US$3.4 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 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 ($2.6 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. Estrada was put to jail pending the investigation, leading the then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to resume the presidency on January 20, 2001.
For months, illegal jueteng had ceased operations, but later continued even with the promise of eradication from the new president Arroyo. The resuming of jueteng operations then started widespread rumors, leading people power participants to doubt whether or not they have jailed the real "lord of all jueteng lords", and which then led to the dismay and incarceration of the people to the current president for her failure to eradicate the said illegal gambling game.
In Singson's province of Ilocos Sur, Jueteng still is rampant even up to this day.
, 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 Macapagal-Arroyo
resigns.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was a former Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the province of Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
since 1998. He ran for the Senate in the 2007 Elections
Philippine Senate election, 2007
Election to the Senate of the Philippines was held on Monday, May 14, 2007. This is to elect 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate. Together with those elected in 2004, they will comprise the 14th Congress via plurality-at-large voting. The senators elected in 2004 will serve until June 30, 2010, while...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
but he lost greatly. He ran in 2010 as governor of Ilocos Sur and won.
Family History
The Singsons started to put down roots in Vigan in the 17th century. Joaquín Ayco, a merchant from Oasay, China, married a Chinese mestiza, Rosa Songnio, a Vigan native. Singson's forefathers ruled Vigan as far back as the 1800s. The post of gobernadorcillo was held by Don León Singson in 1846, Don Estanislao Singson in 1852, Don Domingo Singson in 1854, Don Tomás Singson in 1858 and Don Jose Singson in 1877.Early life
Chavit Singson was born on June 21, 1941 in Vigan CityVigan City
The City of Vigan is a 5th class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur...
, Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...
. He is the second among the seven children of José Singson and Caridad Crisólogo. His other siblings, aside from Evaristo (Titong), are Bernardo (deceased), Fernando (Dodoy), Maria Olivia (Honeygirl), Jeremias (Jerry), Germelina (Germy) and Jose, Jr. (Bonito).
Singson's growing-up years were spent in Vigan, where he led a normal childhood "with a very liberal upbringing and a lot of opportunity to play and make friends." He apparently got his own fondness for jueteng
Jueteng
Jueteng is an illegal numbers game played in the Philippines. Jueteng originated from China and means "flower" and "bet" . Although illegal, it is a widely popular game with participation that crosses most, if not all social and economic boundaries, played by rich and poor alike...
from his mother who loved the game. Despite their prominence in the province, it was not always a life of wealth for the Singsons. At one point, the family had to sell their appliances. Singson learned how difficult life was without money. Singson's character was strengthened especially with the seemingly unending family squabbles and political dynasties of his youth, the tobacco industry in Ilocos and how the Singsons got into tobacco growing and trading. The family brought the first redrying plant to Ilocos in the '60s. He studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
in Manila and finished his Commerce degree.
Both his paternal (Singson) and maternal (Crisologo) families have dominated the political environment of the Ilocos region for generations. Although many members of both families, such as Chavit are related to one another, the two families have shared a bitter feud which reached its apex in the 1960s and 1970s, when shootings and political intimidation were rampant in the Ilocos region. Chavit considered his uncle, Floro Crisologo as a mentor, but eventually had a severe falling out with his cousin and once-confidant Vicente "Bingbong" Crisologo
Vicente Crisologo
Vicente Singson-Crisologo, better known as Bingbong, is a Filipino politician. He is the incumbent congressman of the 1st congressional district of Quezon City, Philippines having served in the 13th congress of the Philippines and was re-elected and serves for the 14th congress.-Family...
(who was Floro's son) and there were many bloody encounters between the two. It is currently stated by both sides that tensions have eased. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/52070.stm
Career
Singson started out as a businessman .He then entered politics, becoming a political kingpin in his province for 28 years, and later playing a significant role in Philippine politics and democracy. He is the former (2004–2007) Governor of Ilocos Sur a position he has held for 50 years.Family
Singson currently lives in his home, called Baluarte, in Vigan City. He is a former close friend and gambling and drinking buddy of President Estrada. Singson was married to Evelyn Verzosa on May 3, 1962, but later separated. They had seven children.Singson later cohabited
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
with Rachel "Che" Tiongson, with whom he has five children. In early September 2009, he was charged with assaulting Tiongson and her boyfriend. Singson insisted that he caught Tiongson and her unidentified boyfriend in flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto or sometimes simply in flagrante is a legal term used to indicate that a criminal has been caught in the act of committing an offence...
, in her own apartment. Tiongson, on the other hand, insists that she and Singson have long separated.
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Leila De Lima
Leila De Lima
Leila Magistrado De Lima is the secretary of Philippine Department of Justice under the Administration of President Noynoy Aquino...
on September 5, 2009 assailed deputy National Security Adviser Luis Singson for his "arrogance" and urged his common-law wife Rachel 'Che' Tiongson to file a human rights complaint.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, de Lima lamented Singson's statement in media interviews, including with dzMM and ABS-CBN News, that Tiongson and her boyfriend should be thankful he did not kill them for their affair.
Politics
Singson had secured a spot as a candidate for the 2007 Philippine senatorial elections. He has sided with the government party, despite being former friends with the former president Joseph EstradaJoseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
. After losing the elections, Singson had been appointed Deputy National Security Adviser, on September 5, 2008 by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Role in EDSA II
Singson is known to have started EDSA II, when in October 2000 he alleged he gave President Joseph EstradaJoseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
Php
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
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 $10 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another US$3.4 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
Jueteng
Jueteng is an illegal numbers game played in the Philippines. Jueteng originated from China and means "flower" and "bet" . Although illegal, it is a widely popular game with participation that crosses most, if not all social and economic boundaries, played by rich and poor alike...
.
Singson said that he had delivered more than 400 million pesos ($8 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 ($2.6 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
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and other major cities backing to vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
, and Estrada's government quickly fell. Estrada was put to jail pending the investigation, leading the then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to resume the presidency on January 20, 2001.
For months, illegal jueteng had ceased operations, but later continued even with the promise of eradication from the new president Arroyo. The resuming of jueteng operations then started widespread rumors, leading people power participants to doubt whether or not they have jailed the real "lord of all jueteng lords", and which then led to the dismay and incarceration of the people to the current president for her failure to eradicate the said illegal gambling game.
In Singson's province of Ilocos Sur, Jueteng still is rampant even up to this day.
Role in the Hello Garci scandal
In 2005, during the nation's Presidential Hello Garci scandalHello Garci scandal
The Hello Garci scandal was a political scandal and electoral crisis in the Philippines.The scandal involved former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who allegedly rigged the 2004 national election in her favor. The official results of that election gave Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Noli de Castro...
, Singson claimed he had a tape of a conversation where the jailed president Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
stated he was planning to return to power by disposing whoever would lead the transitional government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
after current president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
resigns.
Mauling of Son
On July 24, 2007, 2 men mauled Singson’s son, Randolf “Randy” Singson, 43, inside an Internet gaming shop. The suspects were identified only as a certain Mr. Chen and his still unidentified male companion. Randolf suffered multiple physical injuries in the head and body, and was taken to the Rizal Medical Center for treatment. On July 11, 2010, Ronald Singson was caught in Hong Kong by authorities for smuggling 24 grams of cocaine. Singson was on his way to Macau to watch an Usher concert.Further reading
- Limpe, Linda C.The 9 Lives of Luis "Chavit" Singson, Forsight Books, 2003.