Tuesday, June 19, 2007 Rep. Arroyo unfazed by Pidal case revival By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
* To move for re-opening of Kuratong Baleleng case, too
“I’M NOT afraid,” said Representative Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, Jr. (5th district, Negros Occidental) on the plan of re-elected Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to revive the Jose Pidal case.
In a phone interview Arroyo said, “Ever since, I’ve already admitted that I am the Jose Pidal. So I think I don’t have any problem with regards to Senator Lacson’s dream of reviving the issue.”
“Go ahead! Make everything you want. I am ready to face any investigation,” Congressman Arroyo told Lacson.
The Negros solon said he will also move for the re-opening of Kuratong Baleleng case against Lacson.
“Ako walang problema sa Jose Pidal case. Si Lacson baka mayroon sa Kuratong Baleleng (I don’t have any problem in Jose Pidal case. Lacson might have in Kuratong Baleleng),” Arroyo said.
Lacson said Friday that he will move for the re-opening of Jose Pidal case including the Hello Garci scandal if he gets the chairmanship of the Senate blue ribbon committee.
Lacson, a former police chief during the Estrada administration who won a second six-year Senate term in the May elections, has openly declared his desire to get control of the blue ribbon committee from Sen. Joker Arroyo.
“There was a resolution, a privilege speech. There should have been a committee report after the committee hearings. Unfortunately it never happened,” Lacson said, adding that Senator Arroyo had not done enough in investigating this Jose Pidal case.
Lacson exposed the Jose Pidal case sometime in August in 2003.
He accused First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo of money laundering for supposedly siphoning off at least P321 million in campaign funds and contributions to a secret bank account under the fictitious name Jose Pidal and three other accounts using the names of his aides.
Among the “donors,” Lacson said, was then Rep. Mark Jimenez who contributed a total of P8 million.
“For me, the Jose Pidal issue is already obsolete. People around the country know about me and the case.
People in Negros Occidental also voted for me for two consecutive terms now in spite of several issues hurled against me. So I think, I have nothing to explain anymore,” Arroyo said.
