Palace urges Mike Arroyo to tell the truth

(Updated 7 p.m.) Malacañang on Monday urged former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo to tell the truth on the allegations hurled against him. At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said they welcome Mr. Arroyo’s statement that he is prepared to face all the accusations. "We hope that he will be telling us the truth and not cloak himself under the right against self incrimination or to even invoke his health," he said. "I understand that he has already mentioned substantially his health condition in his statement in the airport. I hope that is not a prelude to invoking medical reasons for not appearing," he said. Mr. Arroyo arrived in Manila early in the day from Hong Kong, where he underwent medical checkup. Life threatening In his arrival statement, Mr. Arroyo claimed that he has a life-threatening condition. "I am told my condition is life-threatening. You may consult any heart doctor who I am certain will immediately know the symptoms, characteristics [and] prognosis of my ailment. Only 5 percent survive operation, 50 percent will die in next five years. I don't want to die in the next 5 years that's why I'm very religious with my consultation with doctors," he said. Lacierda said they welcome Mr. Arroyo’s appearance at the Senate if he decides to do so, "and we will further welcome his being able to answer truthfully all the accusations against him hurled by Archibald Po." Po had linked Mr. Arroyo to a scandal involving second-hand helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009. Arroyo's camp has since denied the allegation. Aquino’s spokesperson reiterated that the present administration is not singling out the Arroyos in its fight against graft and corruption amid the number of cases filed recently against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, other members of their family and their allies. "This is not out of vengeance, this is out of making accountable what happened to taxpayers' money during the past administration," said Lacierda. Mr. Arroyo said in his arrival speech: "It is now obvious to all of us that the authorities in power have placed the highest priority in a coordinated effort, whatever it takes, to harass the previous administration for imagined transgressions." He added: "This administration is hell-bent on making our lives miserable, by resorting to trial by publicity. It is sad that we are being conveniently subjected to bad publicity, instead of properly referring whatever charges that may be brought against us to the proper courts." Mr. Arroyo and his wife, incumbent Pampanga Rep. Arroyo, are facing 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. Their legal spokesperson Raul Lambino has denied the allegations on their behalf. Lacierda maintained that the numerous complaints were filed against the Arroyos "because we have uncovered so many things under his wife’s administration." "And if there is nothing that they have done wrong, I’m certain that he will welcome all these forum to clear their names," he said. "When we came on board, this administration, we promised on a platform of ridding this country of graft and corruption, part of it is to unearth all the anomalies we have discovered and we continue to discover," Lacierda further said. He said the former First Gentleman should also stop peddling lies on the Aquino government’s discussions with Zaldy Ampatuan, the suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor and key suspect in the Maguindanao massacre case. He said Mr. Arroyo should also hold off his comments on the death of one of the lawyers of the Development Bank of the Philippines, Benjamin Pinpin. "I would like to ask the First Gentleman, hold off your comments until you get to the bottom of it," he said. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News