Jinggoy, Ping want Arroyo firm bookkeeper cited in contempt

At least two senators on Monday asked the Senate blue ribbon committee to cite in contempt Rowena Del Rosario, a former bookkeeper for the Arroyo-owned company LTA Inc., for allegedly covering up for former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo and Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo. "This witness has been very evasive since the start. I move to cite this witness in contempt," Sen. Panfilo Lacson said during Monday's Senate blue ribbon panel hearing on the PNP choppers mess. "I second Sen. Panfilo Lacson's motion. Halatang pinagtatakpan mo lang [ang] boss mo," added Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. Earlier in the day, Del Rosario said that the choppers sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009 were not owned by Mike Arroyo and were leased by LTA Inc. as stated by Iggy Arroyo. Lacson and Estrada made their motion, however, after the bookkeeper said that in 2003, she remitted $500,000 to Robinson Helicopters for the "advanced rental" of five choppers. She said the money was provided by Iggy Arroyo. But Lacson asked why they would pay an advanced rental for the choppers to the manufacturer of the choppers when LTA was supposed to have entered into a lease agreement with Lionair. He likewise asked why LTA Inc. would pay a total of P18 million in maintenance fees to Lionair from 2004 to 2011 when the lease was supposed to have ended in 2004. He likewise asked why LTA Inc. would pay a total of P18 million in maintenance fees to Lionair from 2004 to 2011 when the lease was supposed to have ended in 2004. "Niloloko mo na naman kami," he said. But Del Rosario stressed that she was only following the instructions of her boss. "Ginagawa ko lang po ano inuutos sa akin," she said. Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona said they would still have to deliberate on the contempt proposal. Estrada, for his part, suggested that Del Rosario be kept in Senate custody until the next hearing on Thursday. — Kim Tan/RSJ, GMA News