Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo wants arraignment on tax-evasion case deferred

Party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife, Angela, have asked a Quezon City court to defer their arraignment next week on tax-evasion charges pending the Department of Justice’s ruling on an appeal.

The Ang Galing Pinoy Party-list representative also sought court permission to travel to the United States from Nov. 14 to Dec. 7 on “semiofficial business.”

The young Arroyo was charged with failing to file income tax returns from 2007 to 2009, while his wife, Angela, was charged with failing to file tax returns from 2003 to 2009. They have posted separate bail of P60,000 and P140,000, respectively.

In an omnibus motion before Regional Trial Court Branch 100 Judge Marie Christine Jacob, the Arroyos sought the postponement of their arraignment set on Nov. 9, arguing that the DOJ has yet to issue a resolution on their motion for reconsideration.

The new motion, filed by lawyer Ruy Rondain, cited Rules of Court which allow the suspension of an arraignment when a resolution is pending.

The couple had also asked the DOJ to reverse its initial findings finding probable cause for the tax-evasion raps. The DOJ has yet to rule on this.

In seeking court permission to travel abroad, Arroyo maintained that he was not a flight risk and that there was no hold-departure order against them.

The younger Arroyo said he is scheduled to meet with some members of the Filipino community in Southern California.