Arroyo's husband probed over bribery?
Arroyo's husband probed over bribery?
MANILA (AP): President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday took
the first step in initiating an investigation into allegations
that her husband received bribes in exchange for the recall of
her veto of a telecommunications franchise deal.
In her nationally televised weekly news conference, Arroyo
said she has referred the allegations against her husband, lawyer
Jose Miguel Arroyo, for investigation by Ombudsman Aniano
Desierto, the chief government anti-corruption prosecutor.
The move came days after local media reported that her husband
received about 50 million pesos ($925,925) in bribes in exchange
for working on rescinding a veto by Arroyo of a local
telecommunications franchise.
"We will have to get to the bottom of things. No ifs, no
buts," she said, noting that her husband has denied the claims
and has called for an investigation himself.
"The truth is that I vetoed the franchise, I did not recall
the veto and the veto will remain. Nonetheless, we must be like
Caesar's wife and we must be above suspicion," she said.
Arroyo said she decided against referring the case to the
Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and opted for an
investigation by the office of the ombudsman, a constitutionally
independent body.
Opposition politicians said they also will call for a
congressional investigation into the allegations, first made by a
former Arroyo secretary who resigned over alleged corruption by
her husband.
Arroyo said her husband is "looking forward to facing his
accusers in court" upon his return from a trip to the United
States next week.
She appealed to the public not to prejudge the case pending
the investigation and asked the opposition not to exploit the
case for political ends.
Presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said that Arroyo has
conducted her own "very detailed" investigation and the results
would be submitted to the ombudsman.
Tiglao challenged the opposition to exploit the issue "because
they will be very very disappointed and embarrassed."
Arroyo took office after her predecessor, Joseph Estrada, was
forced to step down amid massive anti-corruption protests.
Estrada is under detention facing charges of economic plunder,
a capital offense.
Arroyo has made the fight against corruption a major platform
of her government. In her State of the Nation address last
Monday, Arroyo outlined a four-point program to help the
country's poor, including raising the government and society's
"moral standards."