Mike Arroyo appeals indictment in chopper scam

Former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on Friday sought a reconsideration of his indictment for graft in connection with the sale of two second-hand helicopters passed off as brand-new to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Arroyo, in a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman, maintained that he did not own the two Raven I helicopters, claiming that the money used to pay for them came from the Lourdes T. Arroyo Inc. (LTA), not him.

“Therefore the instant criminal case against respondent Arroyo must necessarily fail because he is neither the legal nor the beneficial owner of the helicopters sold to the PNP,’’ his counsel Edna Herrera-Batacan said in the 17-page motion.

The two were among the five helicopters Arroyo allegedly bought from an American firm for the use of then President Arroyo’s campaign in the 2004 presidential elections.

The Ombudsman on June 6 filed a graft charge against Arroyo with the Sandiganbayan over the sale of the two helicopters. The Sandiganbayan Second Division allowed him to contest the Ombudsman resolution and gave him until Friday to file a motion for reconsideration.

Twenty PNP officials, led by then Director General Jesus Verzosa and Hilario de Vera, president of Manila Aerospace Products Trading (Maptra), a PNP supplier, were charged along with him. The bail has been set at P30,000 for each of the accused.

Batacan argued that the Ombudsman ignored the fact that Arroyo divested his “entire interest’’ in the LTA on March 15, 2001.

“It’s clear from the records that the transaction of Mr. Po was with LTA Inc. and not with respondent Jose Miguel Arroyo personally,’’ she said.

Lionair Inc. owner Archibald Po had testified at a Senate inquiry that he delivered $700,000 in cash to Arroyo at the LTA Building in Makati City following the sale of the aircraft. Arroyo has filed a perjury case against Po in the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.

Lionair is the exclusive distributor of Robinson helicopters in the country. Maptra was Lionair’s marketing agent in the bidding for helicopters at the PNP.