Actress and content creator Ivana Alawi has been accused of being the third party in a Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) complaint filed in Makati by Dominique “Nikki” Lopez-Benitez, the estranged wife of Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez.
According to a document circulating on social media, Mayor Benitez allegedly has a romantic relationship with Alawi and is rumored to have fathered two children out of wedlock.
Mayor Benitez, through his legal counsel Atty. Peter Sanchez, firmly denied the accusations, labeling them as “baseless” and a form of character assassination following his filing of an annulment case in 2024.
While Alawi’s name was not explicitly mentioned in the legal filing, Atty. Sanchez criticized what he called the “unnecessarily dragging” of her name to divert public attention.
Sanchez also condemned the public disclosure of the complaint, citing it as a violation of Section 44 of the VAWC law, which mandates the confidentiality of such cases.
Despite the controversy, Benitez’s camp assured full cooperation with the legal process and expressed confidence that evidence—including documents and testimonies—will disprove the allegations.
Alawi and Benitez were first linked in February 2024 when they were allegedly spotted together in Baguio and Japan, though Benitez previously clarified their relationship as “purely professional” and disclosed that he and his wife had long been separated.
Benitez is known not only as a political figure but also as a businessman with ventures in television, film, and previously in e-sabong.
As of this writing, Ivana Alawi has yet to release a statement, while Bombo Radyo Philippines remains open to airing her side of the story.