Retired police officer testifies anew vs Arroyos

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson presented a retired police official during a Senate hearing on Monday to prove how former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo’s brother has come to his rescue in several controversies.

Retired Police chief superintendent and former Estancia Mayor Restitoto Mosqueda appeared again as a witness for Lacson during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the anomalous purchase of used vehicles by the Philippine National Police.

Mosqueda, who had testified during the Senate’s investigation of the Jose Pidal accounts, said the congressman also took the cudgels for his brother when he claimed ownership of two Pidal accounts.

When he was head of the police crime laboratory, Mosqueda said the congressman went to his office supposedly to copy the signature of Jose Pidal, a second name allegedly used by the former first gentleman for his alleged money laundering activities.

“Kinopya, hindi prinactice (yung signature),” he told the committee, responding to questions from the senators.

Mosqueda claimed that former Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno knew about it and even instructed him to do everything to make it appear that the Jose Pidal accounts belonged to Congressman Arroyo, and not to his brother.

Puno , who was present at the hearing, denied the allegation.

“That’s a total a lie,” Puno said.

Lacson said he presented Mosqueda only to show how the lawmaker, on several occasions, came to the rescue of the former first gentleman, allegedly using some people to advance their own interests.  Maila Ager