MANILA, Philippines?Even the country?s only umbrella organization of watchmen and security agencies denied having ever met, much less consulted with, their supposed representative in Congress.

The Philippine Association of Detective and Protection Agency Operations Inc. on Friday said Juan Miguel ?Mikey? Arroyo did not consult them when he ran as nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy, a party-list group that supposedly champions the rights of security guards and tricycle drivers.

Ramon Bergado, Padpao president, said he was not aware of Arroyo?s relationship with other members of their group and if the son of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was supported by security guards as he claimed.

?In my capacity as president of Padpao, I don?t know if he ever talked with our members individually (prior to the May elections),? Bergado told the INQUIRER over the phone.

?All I can say is that officially,? he said, ?Padpao members did not campaign for Mikey Arroyo and his group.?

Asked if Arroyo knew him or other Padpao officials, he said: ?I have never met Mikey Arroyo in my entire life. I only see him on television.?

According to Bergado, Padpao threw its support behind Diwa party-list group, which won a seat in the country?s first ever automated elections last May 10.

The party-list group had Emmeline Aglipay, daughter of former Philippine National Police chief Edgardo Aglipay, as its first nominee.

Aglipay?s family owns and manages Emeritus and Emirates security agencies, two of the country?s biggest private security companies.

?Padpao supported Diwa through a resolution adopted unanimously by the board of directors and its members,? Bergado maintained.

Composed of nearly 2,000 security agencies and some 410,000 licensed watchmen, Padpao is the only duly-registered group of security guards and security firms created through Republic Act 5487.

Bergado said Padpao was not keen on questioning Arroyo and his group?s accreditation, saying they would rather wait for the decision of the court and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal regarding the disqualification cases filed against AGP.

He, however, stressed that party-list nominees should be members of the groups they purportedly represent 90 days before the elections.

?Anybody can claim that they represent a certain group. It?s their right to do so. But do they really represent the interests of the industry?? he noted.

Sought for his opinion on Arroyo?s case, Bergado said: ?He has the right to run (as AGP nominee). I cannot question him on that. Whether he was the right person to represent the group, that?s another thing; claiming is another thing.?

?Besides, it?s water under the bridge now. Let?s just wait for the court?s decision on his case,? he said.

On Thursday, tricycle driver Danilo Antisipado petitioned the HRET to disqualify Arroyo, questioning the former Pampanga vice governor and two-term congressman?s eligibility to run as party-list representative.

Former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros had earlier sought the nullification of Arroyo?s victory for his supposed failure to satisfy documentary requirements as party-list representative.