P4-B IN BANKS
MANILA, FEBRUARY 4, 2012
(STAR) By Paolo Romero - Former first gentleman Jose Miguel
"Mike" Arroyo cried foul yesterday over Sen. Panfilo Lacson's allegations that
he and his late brother Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo have a
total of P4 billion in hidden bank accounts.
Arroyo said Lacson's allegations were meant to create another scandal and
destroy his family.
Arroyo said the allegation was meant to pit Iggy's estranged wife Alicia and
his companion of four years – Grace Ibuna – against each other by leading them
to believe that his brother left a fortune.
Reports said Alicia and Grace are battling over custody of the remains of
Iggy, who died in London last week of a heart attack.
"That's foul and slanderous. There's no such account. As my lawyer said, if
there's such money, he (Lacson) can have it all by himself," Arroyo said.
"He (Lacson) has no respect for the dead," he added.
If it was true that Lacson has documents to prove his claims, Arroyo said the
senator should immediately reveal them before the public.
"Why doesn't he bring those (documents) out in the open? Why does he have to
conduct another investigation? He just wants to create another controversy," he
said.
Lacson on Wednesday said the two accounts are in one bank, and that these are
still active.
The accounts are no longer in the names of "Jose Pidal" but those of Mike's
and Iggy's, Lacson added.
"There was really no closure (on the issue)," he said. "There really has to
be closure, but not at this time because Iggy has yet to be buried."
Lacson said he intended to revive the Jose Pidal probe at the Senate with the
new evidence in his possession.
Malacañang expressed support for the investigation of the Senate into the
reported bank accounts of the Arroyo brothers as alleged by Lacson.
"While we understand that it's a private time of grief for the Arroyo family,
there are unfortunately two things that can never be buried: truth and
accountability. It is perfectly within the power of Senator Lacson as a
legislator, as a senator, to initiate that investigation," deputy presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing.
"If and when we are called, our officials will provide what is required of
them – we are always like that. If there is any investigation in the Senate or
the House, our officials arrive when called and we bring the documents needed
for our testimony," Valte said.
Bank deposits are protected by bank secrecy laws but Valte said, "that
depends on the subpoena, if it will be granted." – Aurea
Calica
FROM THE PHILSTAR
Ping: Mike A, Iggy have P4-billion deposits By
Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star) Updated February 02, 2012 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Panfilo Lacson says he has documents to
prove that former first gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo and his late brother
Ignacio or Iggy each owned bank accounts containing over P2 billion.
Lacson yesterday said the two accounts are in one bank, and that these are
still active.
The accounts are no longer in the names of "Jose Pidal" but those of Mike's
and Iggy's, Lacson added.
Lacson said he intended to revive the Jose Pidal probe with the new evidence
in his possession.
"There was really no closure (on the issue)," he said.
"There really has to be closure, but not at this time because Iggy has yet to
be buried."
Lacson asked Ferdinand Topacio, the lawyer of Mike Arroyo, to ask his client
for a written waiver on the money contained in the accounts.
"That's my information and I have documents to back it up," Lacson said.
Topacio, quoting Mike Arroyo, said if Lacson could find any such deposits, he
could have the money.
Speaking over ANC, Topacio dared Lacson to prove his allegation. The lawyer
also voiced suspicion that the issue of Jose Pidal was being revived to divert
attention from the apparent bungling of the case against Chief Justice Renato
Corona, who is facing an impeachment trial.
Lacson said he heard there was a challenge from Mike Arroyo, as
quoted by Topacio, that they are willing to donate any such bank deposits.
"Well, I accept the challenge. I will put in the account numbers, name or
names of the bank or banks and the account name. Then I will let him sign the
waiver," Lacson said. "But I won't donate it to families of criminals. If
Topacio wishes to donate to the families of notorious hold-uppers, let him do it
on his own."
Lacson dared to prove allegations
In an interview over radio dwIZ, Topacio questioned the revival of the Jose
Pidal issue.
It could be an attempt to cover up the weakness of the prosecutors in the
impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, he added.
"Why are they resurrecting the issue?" he asked.
Topacio said Lacson has yet to prove his allegations for the past nine years.
"Senator Lacson has been talking about Jose Pidal for nine years," he said in
Filipino. "If he has evidence, he must show it. We are just wondering why he is
resurrecting the issue."
The Senate investigated the Jose Pidal accounts in 2005, two years after
Lacson delivered a privilege speech on the issue.
The turning point of the probe was when Iggy appeared before the Senate to
claim ownership of the accounts.
Signatures of Iggy were compared with those in the bank documents by the
Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory.
Chief Superintendent Restituto Mosqueda, Crime Laboratory head, testified
that the signatures in the bank documents were not made by Mike Arroyo.
In August last year, Mosqueda reappeared before the Senate to claim that he
conspired with Mike and Iggy Arroyo in forging the signatures.
Lacson said he would probably pursue the probe after the impeachment trial of
Corona. – With Perseus Echeminada
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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