MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo said a plan of the Senate blue ribbon committee to conduct a separate inquiry into the alleged corruption surrounding World Bank-funded projects was “shocking” and tantamount to “forum shopping.”

“This is shocking to me as a lawyer because it smells too much of forum-shopping,” said Arroyo, who has been accused of benefiting from the alleged collusion between contractors and government officials to rig the bidding of the projects.

The World Bank has barred a number of Filipino and Chinese construction firms from bidding for projects because of alleged corruption.

Arroyo said that, while he would “respect” the decision of the blue ribbon committees, he hoped that his constitutional rights would be respected as well. He also noted that, if he engaged in forum-shopping, he would be sanctioned by the Supreme Court.

The blue ribbon committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon plans to take off from the inquiry into the World Bank mess conducted by the economic affairs committee of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairperson of the economic affairs committee, together with the committees on public workers, chaired by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., and finance, chaired by Senator Manuel Roxas II.

Arroyo also rejected a newspaper report, based on a World Bank briefing to senators, that he was part of the alleged “cartel” that colluded in rigging the bids for infrastructure projects.

“This is garbage. I have never been part of any cartel,” he said.

At the LTA Building in Makati City, Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruy Rondain, described the First Gentleman as “very, very stressed.”

"He's [Arroyo] a changed man. He's so much calmer now. But a man can only take so much," said Rondain.

"It's alleged reports that are being quoted. Until the WB [World Bank] comes out and says there is a finding against Mr. Arroyo, then I have no reason to assume that there is such an accusation by the WB against Mr. Arroyo," Rondain said.

"That's the thing; we're going around in circles. The press keeps reporting that the WB says this and says that but no one has shown us a copy of the WB report. And the WB denies that they have any direct finding against Mr. Arroyo," he added.

In refusing to authenticate the "notice of sanction proceedings" at the Senate inquiry on Tuesday, Rondain said that, while the WB did not clear Arroyo, it "has not accused" him in the first place.

However, Rondain said his client did not want to retaliate by haling his detractors -- from media or government -- to court again for "health and spiritual reasons."

"Same reason that he dropped his libel cases because he was thankful that he was given a second lease on life. But that is not a license of course...because I can imagine that a man can only take so much. So far he is convinced that there is no evidence against him," he said.

Rondain was referring to the libel cases Arroyo had filed against more than 40 journalists, which he later withdrew after he underwent open heart surgery.

Arroyo, Rondain claimed, was always dragged into controversies because he is an easier target for the political gimmickry of those with "obviously hopeless presidential ambitions."

"We all know what Senator [Panfilo] Lacson's plans are next year, but I have not seen anything from Senator Lacson aside from his press releases. I'm still waiting. I've always said my job as a lawyer is to defend if there are accusations and so far all I've heard are accusations," Rondain said.

"The mere fact that they persist on making these false accusations despite the absence of evidence, then it goes to show that they're not really interested in prosecuting crimes or going after wrongdoers," he added.

He said Arroyo's detractors should go to the proper courts if they have strong evidence against the First Gentleman.