Alvarez admits: I signed BOC recommendation letter, but it's not lobbying

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Friday admitted that he sent a letter to the Bureau of Customs recommending the promotion of Acting Customs Operations Officer V Sandy Sacluti.

But he denied he was lobbying for Sacluti to get the position.

"I sign so many recommendations each day sa dami ng nagpapatulong but until there lang," he said.

The letter obtained by GMA News Online came amid the allegations by Atty. Mandy Anderson, chief of staff of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, that Alvarez – through an assistant – threatened her when she refused to promote an "unqualified" BOC employee, whom the Speaker was allegedly lobbying for.

Alvarez also denied Anderson's claims about the threat.

"I never said about hell. Guniguni lang nya yun!" he said. —with Tina Panganiban-Perez/JST, GMA News