MANILA, Philippines – A former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office admitted that she was “close” to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing Thursday on the alleged anomalous transactions in the PCSO during the term of Arroyo, Rosario Uriarte, under oath, admitted that she personally delivered some of the project proposals and budget requests to former president Arroyo.
Uriarte also confirmed that Arroyo had signed the documents presented as evidence during the Senate inquiry personally in her presence.
Uriarte was grilled during the Senate inquiry as the special disbursement officer appointed by the former PCSO board of directors for the P150 million intelligence fund approved by Arroyo in 2010,
Uriarte said the money was used for an intelligence project that was conducted to curb “jueteng”, an illegal numbers game that has been hampering the implementation of the Small Town Lottery of the PCSO.
Uriarte said she first met Arroyo when the former president was
still an undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry
sometime in the late 80s or early 90s.
During that time Arroyo was also the head of the Garments and Textiles Board of the DTI, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile said.
Uriarte added that although she was not officially appointed as a consultant, she was also consulted “from time to time” when Arroyo was still senator.
Uriarte said that she was not a staff member of Arroyo during her term as vice president but was with the Appointments Office of Malacanang when Arroyo became president.