Not enough proof of Albee Benitez’s cruelty, affairs, as alleged by wife — prosecutors 

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Prosecutors dismiss the complaint filed under the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act by Dominique Lopez-Benitez against her estranged husband, Bacolod Representative Albee Benitez

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Prosecutors dismissed a complaint for violation of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, filed against former Bacolod mayor and now Representative Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez by his estranged wife.

The complaint, lodged by Benitez’s wife Dominique “Nikki” Lopez-Benitez before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, was dismissed on Wednesday, July 9, for lack of sufficient evidence. She had accused the congressman of years of mental and emotional abuse.

Makati Assistant City Prosecutor Mikhail Maverick Tumacder, who penned the resolution, ruled that the matter could not be elevated to court. Acting Makati Prosecutor Melvin Matti approved the dismissal.

“All told, complainant failed to present evidence which would convince this office that a reasonable certainty of conviction may be achieved if this case is filed in court,” read part of the resolution.

Nikki Benitez filed the 25-page complaint on April 11, accusing her husband of years of abusive behavior and alleging that the congressman engaged in illicit relationships with several celebrities in Manila.

“The respondent’s cruel behavior left me trapped in a cycle of emotional abuse,” Nikki said in her affidavit. She said the alleged affairs added “layers of self-doubt, guilt and distress to an already emotionally exhausting relationship.”

She also said she suffered “mental, emotional, and economic distress” due to the alleged abuses.

In the complaint, she named social media influencer-turned-actress Ivana Alawi as her husband’s latest “girlfriend.” Both Benitez and Alawi denied the allegation.

Albee welcomed the decision and said he hoped the matter could now be put to rest.

“Throughout this process, I remained silent out of respect for my family and confidence in the legal system. This resolution confirms what I have maintained from the beginning – that the accusations were baseless and malicious,” Benitez said in a statement released on Thursday, July 10.

“I hope that this matter be laid to rest now and that innocent individuals, especially my children, are given the privacy to move forward away from this controversy,” he added.

Nikki declined to comment, saying, “My silence is my dignity.”

Lawyers of Albee Benitez said the complaint was retaliatory, filed months after he sought the annulment of their marriage before a Bacolod court in August 2024.

The couple has been estranged since 2004. A Pasig court approved their dissolution of marriage the same year, according to Benitez.

He questioned why his wife filed a VAWC case despite the legal separation, saying he had already provided her with substantial support. In a previous statement, Benitez said he gave Nikki the following:

• 31.68 million DigiPlus shares, now worth around P1.17 billion, under Nikki’s name
• Luxury houses in Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village
• A Manila Polo Club share bought for P5.5 million, now reportedly valued at P50 million
• A €1million Golden Visa for Nikki and their daughter Bettina
• Landholdings in Batangas and Negros Occidental
• Multiple condominium units in Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque, Taguig, and Baguio
• P1 million in monthly cash payments starting in 2023
  

Nikki, in response, simply said: “My silence is power.” – Rappler.com