Mike Arroyo denies his family is seeking asylum in Portugal

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who was linked to a growing scandal involving second-hand helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP), on Monday laughed off claims that he has sought asylum in Portugal, which does not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines. Mr. Arroyo, who is in Hong Kong, said he is planning to return to Manila before noon Monday. "Makikita nila, babalik ako," Mr. Arroyo said in an interview on dzXL radio. Earlier, Mr. Arroyo was reported to be planning to take a 9:00 a.m. Cathay Pacific flight for Manila from Hong Kong. The report said Mr. Arroyo was expected to arrive at 11:00 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

Asylum in Portugal? Last weekend, San Juan Rep. Jose Victor Ejercito claimed there were reports that Mr. Arroyo and his wife, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and their family are planning to seek asylum in Portugal. Newspaper reports on Monday quoted Ejercito as saying the Arroyos have an "exit plan to Portugal," which does not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines. The Arroyos face plunder, graft and tax evasion charges for the P728-million fertilizer scam, the NBN-ZTE deal, and other funds-related cases in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. However, lawyer Raul Lambino, one of the Arroyos' spokesmen, denied the allegations. "Victim" of name-dropping At the same time, Mr. Arroyo claimed to have been a victim of name-dropping in the P104.9-million sale of helicopters to the PNP in 2009. Mr. Arroyo said Lion Air president Archibald Legaspi Po may have dropped his name to get a good price for the choppers. In a Senate hearing last week, Po alleged that Mr. Arroyo was the previous owner of the two R44 Raven I choppers that were sold as brand new to the PNP in 2009. Hilario de Vera, president of Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp., said Po had pressured him into selling the used choppers to the PNP, supposedly on Mr. Arroyo's order. "Yan ang sinasabi niya, nine-name drop lang niya ako," Mr. Arroyo said in an interview on dzXL radio.> "Di ba ang daming gumagamit ng pangalan ko na di ko alam?" he added. When asked how he intends to deal with Po and De Vera, Mr. Arroyo said he will reveal his plans when he delivers his arrival statement at the NAIA on Monday. - VVP/RSJ/HS, GMA News