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Monday, August 21, 2006
Lawmaker 'risks' libel over secret account claim
MANILA -- Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. said Sunday that an opposition legislator who accused President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her spouse of keeping a secret multimillion-dollar account in a German bank may be liable for libel.
Gonzales said opposition legislator Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros should be ready to prove his statements that immediate members of the First Family keep a dollar account under account No. 87570-23030-32100-6271-571 in the Hypo-und Vereins Bank AG in Munchen.
"That was a very irresponsible statement from a congressman (Cayetano). If he cannot prove that, he would be liable for libel," he said.
The President has demanded an apology from the opposition lawmaker and a retraction of his statements. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said charges will be filed if the statements are not retracted.
Gonzalez said that Cayetano "abused his parliamentary immunity."
"It's nothing but a cheap propaganda stunt," Gonzalez said.
Cayetano, who is also spokesman of the pro-impeachment team, dared the Arroyos to issue a waiver allowing the scrutiny of all "fictitious" bank accounts that could be traced to their ownership.
Open boxes
"No amount of retraction or retribution would be able to clear their (members of the First Family) names," he said.
The best way to prove their innocence, according to Cayetano, is for the President to command her allies in the House to proceed with the impeachment proceedings by allowing the opening of the boxes. The amount found in that "secret bank account runs to the tune of US$500 million," according to the opposition's sources. (ECV/DBP/Sunnex)
(August 21, 2006 issue)
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