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Chopper mess witness: Mike Arroyo called me before I testified


A witness attending a Senate inquiry on the Philippine National Police’s multimillion peso helicopter purchase on Tuesday admitted that former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo called him right after news on the controversial purchase broke out. Lion Air president Archibald Legaspi Po made the admission after Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked him if Arroyo contacted him before he testified at the hearing. Po, who confirmed that Arroyo was the previous owner of the two R44 Raven I choppers that were sold as brand new to the PNP in 2009, said that the former first gentleman called him before he appeared before the Senate. "[He was] just wondering what's happening," he said during Tuesday's blue ribbon committee hearing on the alleged misrepresentations in the PNP chopper purchase. He noted, however, that Arroyo did not instruct him to do or say anything. "It was (a) very short conversation," he said. Earlier in the day, Manila Aerospace Trading Corporation (MAPTRA) president Hilario De Vera said Arroyo made a deal with the PNP for them to accept and buy his old helicopters as brand new. Po, however, denied knowing this. Lion Air sold to MAPTRA two R44 Raven I choppers that were allegedly previously owned by Arroyo. MAPTRA then priced them as brand new and sold them to the PNP. It sold one new Robinson R44 Raven II and the two pre-owned Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters to the PNP for P104.985 million. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News

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