Senate grills anew Arroyo firm ex-bookkeeper on 'choppers mess'

Senators on Thursday questioned Rowena Del Rosario, the former bookkeeper of the Arroyo-owned firm LTA Inc., over her alleged role in the choppers controversy and her involvement with the family of former President Gloria Arroyo. Senator Panfilo Lacson, who filed the resolution seeking a probe into the choppers mess, asked Del Rosario that if it were true that LTA paid a $500,000 rental fee to Robinson Helicopters, the company should have paid around $37,500 in taxes. Del Rosario, however, said she doesn't remember paying such an amount. "Wala po akong natatandaang nagbayad ng tax doon," she said during the hearing, to which Lacson snapped. "Anong klase kang bookkeeper kung di mo alam ang mga transaksyon. Napakatalino mo kasi kaya mo lokohin ang mga tao dito. Nagtatanga-tangahan ka lang pero ang talino mo," he said. Sen. Francis Escudero, who was also present during the hearing, asked why she didn't even doubt the transaction. "Di kayo nagduda? Kung lease ito bakit wala kaming babayarang tax?," he said. "Wala po yun sa isip ko, di ko po alam," answered Del Rosario. She likewise said she was only telling the truth. "Wala po akong intensyon na lokohin kayo." Iggy Arroyo and Jose Pidal Meanwhile, Escudero and Senator Sergio Osmena III asked Del Rosario to identify the signature of Iggy Arroyo, compared with the signature of the one in the Jose Pidal account. Del Rosario, however, said she did not recognize the signatures presented by the senators. "Hindi po ganyang pirma ang natatandaan ko. Hindi po ganyan ang pirma niyang kilala ko," she said. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, quizzed Del Rosario over her term as a member of the Pag-IBIG board of trustees. Del Rosario had earlier admitted that Mrs. Arroyo had appointed her to the Pag-IBIG board of trustees in March 2010. She was replaced in October 2010. However, the bookkeeper admitted that she did not know why she was appointed to the post. "Di ko po alam. Wala po akong alam (pero) pribilehiyo sa akin para tanggapin at ginagalang ko po ang kanyang pag-appoint sa akin," she said. She said that during the duration of her six-month term, she received P40,000 from Pag-IBIG. But Estrada snapped when she said that she didn't know whether this included her per diems and other allowances. "Basta kubra ka lang ng kubra, tanggap ka lang nang tanggap," he said. Cited in contempt Last Monday, the Senate blue ribbon committee cited former Del Rosario in contempt and ordered her arrest for supposedly being evasive in her answers and allegedly covering up for First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo and his brother Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo. Several witnesses had testified that Mike Arroyo was the owner of two of the three choppers bought by the PNP as brand new in 2009. He has denied the allegation. On the other hand, Iggy Arroyo defended his brother Mike Arroyo, saying he had evidence - a supposed lease agreement between their firm LTA and Lionair - that would clear his brother's name. Several witnesses, however, have testified against the veracity of the document. Del Rosario's previous jobs Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, quizzed Del Rosario about the jobs she has had so far. Del Rosario admitted that she had not only worked for Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo but also for his brother First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo. She said Iggy specifically asked him to help Mike in his foundation, the First Gentleman (FG) Foundation. "Volunteer po ako sa foundation," she said, adding that she worked as his internal auditor without pay. Del Rosario had also earlier admitted that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had appointed her to the Pag-IBIG board of trustees in March 2010. She was replaced in October 2010. - VVP, GMA News