Actor-turned-politician Javi Benitez, former mayor of Victorias City and ex-boyfriend of actress Sue Ramirez, recently tagged controversial online personality Xian Gaza in a social media post. This move drew public attention shortly before Gaza deactivated his Facebook account. The deactivation came amid intense backlash over Gaza’s exposé involving Javi’s father, former Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez.
The controversy ignited when Gaza, who refers to himself as the “Pambansang Marites na Lalaki,” made a series of posts addressing allegations from Dominique “Nikki” Benitez, the estranged wife of Mayor Albee Benitez. In a complaint affidavit that circulated online, Nikki accused Albee of violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (RA 9262), citing emotional and psychological abuse, as well as infidelity.
The affidavit named several women allegedly involved with Albee Benitez, including celebrities Andrea del Rosario and Daisy Reyes. However, what particularly caught the public’s attention was Nikki’s mention of actress Ivana Alawi, whom she claimed had a romantic relationship with the mayor.
Gaza quickly responded to the allegation, defending Ivana and criticizing Nikki for involving the actress. “Madam Benitez, you separated from your husband in 2003. Ivana was only six years old at the time. Why involve her now?” Gaza posted on May 29, implying that the inclusion of Alawi’s name was baseless and unfair.
He went on to question the motive behind singling out Ivana, stating, “Let’s assume there was a relationship — why single her out when there were reportedly many women involved with your husband over the past 21 years?” Gaza emphasized the damage to Alawi’s reputation, calling it “confusing and harmful to her image.”
Before Gaza took down his Facebook account, Javi Benitez had publicly tagged him — a gesture some interpreted as a subtle reaction to Gaza’s defense of Alawi and his involvement in the controversy surrounding the Benitez family.
As of now, neither Mayor Albee Benitez nor Ivana Alawi has issued a new statement regarding the viral affidavit. Meanwhile, the public continues to monitor the situation closely, with the intersection of politics, celebrity, and social media fueling ongoing discussions.