Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Lawmaker wants probe on House cash gifts By Stephen Capillas
CAGAYAN de Oro Second District Representative Rufus Rodriguez called for an investigation into the "cash gifts" given by the Palace to Congress legislators and local officials in separate meetings with them last week.
In a radio interview, Rodriguez said suspicions run strong that the cash gifts amounting to more than P200,000 are given to members of Congress in exchange for their support to junk the latest impeachment complaint filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno has already refuted allegations that he received cash gifts from the President in a closed door meeting with her last Thursday afternoon.
Provincial Press Office chief Maricel Rivera said a crowd of barangay officials reportedly trooped to the governor's office Monday afternoon "to seek an audience with him" amid reports of his meeting with the President.
"Like what he said previously, the governor left for Cagayan de Oro at past 3 p.m. and he doesn't know if there was money given to the local officials (by the time he left)," Rivera told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez said the release of "cash gifts" to local officials and legislators run counter to government regulations on issuing funds and thus constitute bribery.
"If the money was to be used for infrastructure projects or programs of services (then it's fine) however the timing is suspicious," Rodriguez said.
In this light, Rodriguez said the impeachment complaint filed against the President is severely compromised because it is "tainted with charges of bribery," thus doesn't deserve opposition support.
Even the Cagayan Archdiocese voiced its alarm on this report.
Archdiocese vicar-general Monsignor Rey Monsanto said the Palace must disprove these allegations.
Earlier, Cagayan de Oro First District Representative Rolando Uy admitted receiving something from the Palace during last Thursday's meeting summoned by the President but said it was a "cash gift" intended for all administration lawmakers.
In a radio interview, Uy said he thought it was normal and had nothing to do with the ongoing impeachment complaint against the President that was filed by lawyer Rafael Pulido.
For his part, Governor Moreno was quoted by national media as saying that the allegations on the Palace bribes are another "ploy" by opposition officials planning to run for the 2010 elections.
