Real estate and retail tycoon Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. denied any wrongdoing after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a criminal complaint against Villar Land Holdings Corp. for alleged market manipulation and insider trading.
Villar insisted that his company has consistently maintained high standards of corporate governance, fully cooperating with the SEC’s fact-finding investigation and ensuring transparency in all financial disclosures.
The SEC alleged that Villar Land misled investors by reporting inflated 2024 financial statements before completing its external audit and that related entities engaged in trading to artificially support share prices.
Villar said he has yet to receive the official complaint from the Department of Justice and stressed that his company will respond in the proper forum while cooperating with due process.
Despite the controversy, he expressed confidence that justice would prevail and that he, his family, and his companies would be exonerated of the charges.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 5, 2026
VILLAR DENIES ANY WRONGDOING IN SEC CASE
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