Mike Arroyo nixes bet for Ombudsman

Former first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has called on the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) not to consider the nomination of Ernesto Francisco Jr. for the position of Ombudsman because he said the lawyer was biased against the Arroyo family.

In a June 6 letter to the JBC, which screens applicants and nominees to the Office of the Ombudsman, Arroyo said Francisco was not qualified to be endorsed as the next Ombudsman “because the history of his legal [service] would show his obvious prejudice and bias which does not augur well for the independence and impartiality needed for the esteemed position.”

Arroyo said the nominee might become an instrument for the “persecution” of the Arroyo family by the Aquino administration.

“His actions against me and my family would show without a doubt his prejudice. My family, which appears to be the subject of selective persecution by the present administration, cannot expect fair treatment from attorney Franciso should he be endorsed and appointed as the new Ombudsman,” Arroyo said.

Under JBC rules, Francisco is given five days to file a comment to Arroyo’s letter.

“He (Francisco) has prejudged my wife, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her administration and myself, as evidenced by several cases he has filed against us.”

The former first gentlemen cited a 2006 suit filed by Francisco in the Supreme Court seeking to nullify the House of Representatives’ dismissal of the amended impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

In 2008, Francisco filed a complaint before the Ombudsman against Arroyo in connection with the NBN-ZTE scandal. When the case was dismissed, Francisco filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the reversal of the dismissal.

In 2009, Francisco filed a case in a lower court alleging that public funds were being used for the political advertisements of Ms Arroyo and other officials.

Francisco first gained fame as the counsel of groups opposed to the toll hikes on expressways. He later took on a crusade against corruption, filing several cases against allegedly anomalous projects and several government officials during the Estrada and Arroyo presidencies.