Ex-Pres. Arroyo asked to explain PCSO funds mess

(Updated 9:15 p.m.) Former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should explain her alleged involvement in the anomalous disbursement of the intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona said Thursday. "Kung para sa katotohanan siya, dapat lumabas siya at sabihin niya kung san ba ito ginamit (If she is for the truth, she should come out and explain where these intelligence funds were used)," Guingona said after Thursday's Senate committe hearing on the alleged anomalies in the PCSO. GMA News Online sent text messages to Mrs. Arroyo's spokesperson, Elena Bautista-Horn, but got no reply. Calls on Bautista-Horn's phone were also unanswered. A report on GMA News' "24 Oras" quoted former lawmaker Maite Defensor, also an Arroyo spokesperson, as saying that they would wait first for a formal complaint to be filed before issuing a statement. Arroyo's son, Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Mikey Arroyo likewise refused to comment on the issue, saying he is not privy with PCSO transactions. "I don't the facts," he said.
Guingona issued the statement after former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte revealed that she personally requested intelligence funds from Mrs. Arroyo, who easily approved the requests. Senators, however, doubted the amount of the intelligence funds requested and approved by Mrs. Arroyo, which amounted to P325 million from 2008 to 2010. They specifically found suspicious the PCSO's request of P160 million in funds before the May 2010 elections. Uriarte, however, said the funds were used for their nationwide STL (small town lottery) project. She likewise admitted that part of it was also used as blood money for OFWs on death row in Saudi Arabia. But Guingona, along with other senators, found Uriarte's statements unbelievable. "Paikot-ikot nga yung mga sagot, mukhang di nagsasabi ng tapat (She was going in circles, it seems like she wasn't telling the truth)," he said. He said they plan to question Uriarte more during an executive session before next week's continuation of the hearing. But he said they cannot force Mrs. Arroyo to explain in the same manner. "Public opinion would be the one to cause her to come out with the explanation," said the senator. "This is very serious, this amounts to plunder. If this is not properly explained then this can also go to the courts and there she (Arroyo) has to explain," he said, adding that the two may also be found guilty of malversation of public funds. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News