Lacson to present witness to prove congressman is shielding FG

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson will present a new witness on Monday to disprove the claim of Negros Occidental Rep.Ignacio Arroyo that the Arroyo family’s LTA company leased the two second-hand helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police in 2009 as brand new.

Lacson said the congressman is merely shielding former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and has the affidavit of the witness to prove it. Arroyo earlier said the two choppers are not owned by former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

The senator said his unnamed witness has executed an affidavit but has not agreed to appear before the Senate which is investigating the PNP’s illegal purchase of used  helicopters

“Let’s wait. Iko-convince ko pa ang testigo na mag-appear although he already provided me with his affidavit,” Lacson said.

He declined to identify the witness.

“Abangan na lang natin. Magte-testify lang siya na sinungaling si (Rep.)Iggy Arroyo. That’s all I can say as of now,” Lacson said.

He rejected Iggy’s claim that the helicopters were not owned but “leased” by LTA Inc.

“Like the properties in San Francisco, California, and the Jose Pidal accounts, Iggy Arroyo has developed the habit of rescuing big brother Mike,” Lacson said. “They should do better than insult the Filipino people’s intelligence again.”

Citing records from the criminal complaints filed by Mike against businessman Archibald Po, Lacson noted discrepancies in the so-called lease documents Arroyo presented.

The first discrepancy involved the date of notarization which is March 16, 2004, and the residence certificate of Lionair corporate secretary Renato Sia, April 2, 2004.

“It was impossible for Sia to sign the agreement with his residence certificate number not available at the time of the signing of the document,” the senator said.

Lacson also questioned why only the last page of the lease agreement bore Sia’s signature, when standard procedure requires that all pages be signed by all parties concerned including the witnesses.

The so-called lease agreement does not bear the signatures of witnesses.

The third and most telling discrepancy was that the second and third batches of helicopters arrived only on March 17 and 24, after the “agreement” was signed on March 16. “So the choppers that were supposed to have been leased had not even entered the picture,” Lacson said.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee,summoned Arroyo to appear before his panel on Aug.22.

He directed Arroyo to submit a sworn statement detailing his knowledge or participation on the anomalous acquisition of helicopters.

Arroyo was said to have flown to London to seek medical treatment.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada also does not believe Iggy’s claim.

“Is there anything new? Siya na ang umako ng Jose Pidal (account). Na-practice niya ang handwriting (ni Mike). Ngayon itong helicopter (naman). Sumipot siya (Iggy) dito sa hearing kung talagang inaako niya at sa kanya ang mga helicopters,” he said