Benitez faces VAWC complaint from estranged wife

Bacolod congressman-elect Mayor Albee Benitez is facing a criminal complaint for violence against women and children (VAWC) filed by his estranged wife, Dominique 'Nikki' Lopez-Benitez.

Lopez-Benitez accused Benitez of emotional, psychological, and economic abuse over more than two decades of marriage, including alleged infidelity with actress Ivana Alawi and fathering two other illegitimate children.

Benitez's lawyer Peter Sanchez dismissed the allegations as retaliatory, noting they surfaced after Benitez initiated annulment proceedings in 2024.

Sanchez also criticized Lopez-Benitez for involving public figures like Alawi to divert attention and inflame public sentiment.

The congressman-elect will cooperate with legal processes and is confident that evidence such as financial records, property documents, and testimonies will disprove the false claims.

Benitez previously addressed romance rumors with Alawi in February 2024, claiming their interactions were merely professional.