LONG REGARDED AS king maker — and in the case of former President Joseph Estrada, the king breaker — Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, who came from a long line of bitterly-feuding clan in ILocos Sur, is now again testing his powers to break incumbent President Bongbong Marcos Jr. by calling on students to shout his resignation in tomorrow’s Trillion March rally at the Luneta.
For one, his political relevance has already been significantly reduced – until in 2022, he endorsed the political union of Marcos and the embattled yet combative Vice President Sara Duterte. Prior to that, his last attempt at fame was in December 2021 when media played up on his cash-loaded gun toting gimmick to attract people’s attention.
He is calling for Marcos Jr.’s resignation because he blames the chief executive for being part of the anomalous budget process (as the final signatory) for 2025, which has been described as the most corrupt budget in Philippine history. (He is right in this aspect, though).
PUBLIC OUTRAGE
The flood control mess has so angered the citizenry that from Manila to the Visayas and Mindanao, rallies against corruption and calls for transparency and accountability are being held by multi-sectoral groups, including students (high school and college).
He held a press conference on Friday to express his indignation over government anomalies, particularly billions of pesos into flood control projects as he urged the youth to stand up by skipping classes until corrupt officials and corruption in government are annihilated.
A former ally turned critic of Marcos Jr., he called on parents including the military and the police to let their children participate in street rallies and lead the “revolution against corruption.” He, however, expressed concern that the rally might turn ugly.
BUSINESS & POLITICS
Ilocos Sur, long the stronghold of the Chavits and Crisologo clans, have been under their clutches (for five decades), including those aspiring or incumbent politicians. Of course, in exchange for the family’s patronage, economic power and contracts are naturally paid generously, even without their asking.
The family company– Satrap Construction, majority owned by Chavit’s daughter (Regina S. Lim) and son-in-law (Wilbert Lim) has had over P2 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Ilocos Sur in the past decade, reported Rappler.
“My father was an engineer, a contractor. I tagged along as a child, I was a timekeeper. We invested blood and sweat into that company. That’s our family’s business. But inspect all of Satrap’s projects. If there’s corruption, I would go to jail,” he dared.
BILLIONS IN CONTRACT
From 2016 to 2025, Satrap cornered P2.1 billion worth of infrastructure projects located in Ilocos Sur, DPWH data showed. These are DPWH-awarded contracts.
On the national scale, Satrap notched infrastructure projects across the country amounting to a whopping P2.7 billion sprawling 2016 to 2025. Most of the contracts were infrastructure projects in Ilocos Sur.
Of those projects, two were flood control programs, both awarded in 2023, worth a combined cost amounting to P87 million. One is in Sta. Catalina town, the other is in San Ildefonso.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
While criticizing those government officials with companies doing business with DPWH for their lack of delicadeza, Satrap was guilty of the same arrangement. Singsons held offices while the family owned Satrap.
Chavit’s son Ryan Luis, was governor from 2013 to 2022 and Chavit’s brother Jerry has been governor since 2022 to present. Ryan and Jerry just switched roles, the Rappler report said.
In Congress, where members are prohibited to “directly or indirectly be interested financially in any contract with government,” Regina’s brother Ronald Singson has been serving as Ilocos Sur 1st District representative from 2013-2016, 2022-2025, and 2025-present.
Their relatives Eric Singson and Kristine Singson-Meehan are taking turns in the province’s second congressional district since 2013.
NO CONFLICT AT ALL
Chavit claimed that Satrap’s government projects were run by owners who were not sitting public officials.
“Conflict of interest kung may sarili silang construction,” Chavit stressed.
Section 3 of the anti-graft law prohibits public officials from “directly or indirectly having financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity.”
The Ilocos Sur kingpin, who held the position of provincial governor until 2013insisted that he has already divested his business interest in the company.
PARTAS BUS LINE
Satrap, read backwards, is Partas — Chavit’s bus line. On the website of his LCS Group of Companies, the declared company is the Satrap Mining Corp. headed by another son Randy Singson, current mayor of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Rappler said.
Chavit called the presscon to criticize the government of his former ally, Bongbong, as he was dissatisfied with the current investigation into flood control anomalies.
Chavit said Marcos must first look in his backyard, or Ilocos Norte, citing Rappler’s report that the biggest contractors there are the Discayas and the company of Laoag City Mayor Bryan Alcid, a Marcos ally.
“How can he not know when this is his province, how could we believe the President? He said, “‘mahiya naman kayo” when he should have said, “We should be ashamed of ourselves,” because the Discayas are their contractors.
At the presscon, he did not say that he was calling for Marcos’ overthrow, but in videos posted online, he blatantly asked for Marcos to resign.
CHAVIT’S PENCHANT
After his second failed union THAT ended with Chavit beating up his common-law wife with whom he had five children, he introduced in 2012, Josephine Pintor, then 14 years old or 44 years younger than him, as his partner. His youngest child, a 5-year old girl, was introduced to the public in an online show at Facebook Live.
His hobby is trophy hunting, which is why he established the Baluarte Zoo in Vigan after his game collection grew large. He keeps taxidermized remains of some of the animals he hunted at the Safari Gallery in Baluarte. In September 2024, Singson underwent stem cell therapy in Japan.
One of his sons girlfriend is Kitty Duterte (the former president’s daughter by his common-law wife, Honeylet Avancena), which apparently is why he went all out in supporting Sara’s candidacy in 2022 and which he might now be using as a stepping stone to fame or notoriety in 2028.