Europe’s CDI ‘alarmed’ by Aquino’s persecution of Gloria

House Minority leader Rep. Edcel Lagman yesterday said that alarm bells rang for Centrist Democrat International (CDI) president over the situation which speaks of alleged persecution of former President Gloria Arroyo, one of its members.

Lagman, the vice president of Lakas, was quoted in reports as saying he had been informed that CDI president Ferdinando Casini was alarmed by the situation and a resolution is forthcoming calling for the house arrest for the former President.”

Raul Lambino, legal spokesman for Arroyo, is in Rome in a bid to seek international support for the former president.

He said the letter from Arroyo handed to the CDI president held information on the Philippine government’s “persecution” of Arroyo and the continued defiance of incumben President Aquino of the Supreme Court.

For his part, Aquino on Tuesday said Arroyo should bare everything she knows on how she allegedly exploited the government.

Claiming that Arroyo did not lead the country properly, Aquino said the former president who is now under hospital arrest due to alleged electoral sabotage, can redeem

herself by helping his administration in its effort to achieve reforms.

“She was given the opportunity to lead the country for nine and a half years. I was in the opposition. I don’t think she led us properly. Time is still present. Perhaps she can rectify what has been done by helping us really achieve the reforms and the transformation of the society by telling us what exactly was done, how it was done, what were the loopholes… exploited, and so on and so forth,” Aquino said during a forum with journalist-members of Bulong Pulungan forum when he was asked about his Christmas wishlist.

But while Aquino is seeking Mrs. Arroyo’s help on one hand, he is threatening to file more cases against her on the other.

He said that apart from the electoral sabotage case which was filed by the Department of

Justice-Commission on Elections panel that he created purportedly to investigate poll cheating under the past administration, he has unearthed a number of anomalies under Mrs. Arroyo’s term and his staff is still in the process of collating the evidence needed to ensure conviction.

“Actually, there are two cases already that the government has filed. The second one was that the (PCSO) is filing yesterday with the Ombudsman with regard to the things that were unearthed during the Senate investigation.

Meanwhile, Ang Galing Pinoy Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo returned to the country from his trip to the United States early Monday morning, two days earlier than he promised.

Mikey, who left for the US Nov. 17, said he decided to cut short his trip to the US to attend to his ailing mother, and prove to everyone he is not a flight risk as the administration is trying to picture him to be.

“I have decided to cut short my trip to the US to attend to my mother,” the younger Arroyo said. “Also, I want to prove to everyone, especially the judicial system and to the people I am not a flight risk. Anyway, I have I have achieved my objective in my trip, that is to solicit support for my constituents.”

Mikey said he was able to solicit some $15,000 in pledges from Filipino groups in the US for health assistance for security guards, one of the sectors his party-list represents.

The party-list solon said he could have brought home the money as it was being handed to him by those who pledged support for Ang Galing Pinoy’s constituents and programs, but he said he doesn’t want to handle the money personally.

“I could have brought home the money but I just don’t want to handle it and its disposition,” said Mikey. “So, what I suggested is that the money be disposed the way a PDAF (priority development assistance fund) is done.”

“Those who would be needing financial assistance for their health concerns could come to my office, then I identify the recipients and those who have pledged their financial support could remit the money either directly to the recipient or to the hospitals identified by the recipients,” the former presidential son explained.

Mikey said he had to seek financial support outside since his own PDAF has yet to be released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

“The year is about to end and not a single centavo from my PDAF had been released by the DBM,” Mikey said.

“As a congressman, I have two major responsibilities. One is to craft laws and the other is to attend to my constituents. But how can I attend to the needs of my constituents if the fund allocated for them is being withheld by the administration?” the solon lamented.

Mikey said he will go back to the US sometime next year to gather more financial support for his party-list programs and his constituents.

“If they won’t release my PDAF, I have to find ways to attend to the needs of my constituents. They have elected me to represent them, I cannot let them down. I cannot let this PDAF hold me hostage in serving them,” Mikey stated. Virgilio J Bugaoisan and Charlie V. Manalo, Daily Tribune