Palace denies singling out Arroyo’s administration

MANILA – Malacañang brushed off Thursday perception of singling out the past administration given the consecutive charges filed against former presidential son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his mother’s ally Prospero Pichay.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing the charges are not personality-based but based on the pieces of evidence gathered by the respective commission.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Thursday morning slapped Ang Galing party-list Representative Arroyo and his wife Angela with a P73.85-million tax evasion case.

On Wednesday, administrative and criminal charges were filed against Pichay, chairman of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), and its board members for alleged anomalous acquisition of a thrift bank in Laguna in 2008 that resulted in the losses of the agency.

“The timing was just a coincidence. We only file cases if there is enough evidence,” Lacierda said.

He added the administration is merely sticking to its advocacy to intensify fight against corruption and clearing landmines in the government. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)