Oreta seeks details of Mike Arroyo probe

Opposition Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta asked the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday to reveal details of an in-house Malacañang probe on the P50-million bribery scandal allegedly involving First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

The senator made the request following reports that the Ombudsman would be zeroing in only on a minor player linked to the irregularity.

Oreta said she wanted to know the basis of Ombudsman Aniano Desierto’s statement indicating that only Malou Nuñez, a consultant at the Department of Transportation and Communications, could be held liable for improprieties involving an attempt to reverse a presidential veto on the grant of franchises to two telecommunications firms.

According to reports, the initial findings of the Office of the Ombudsman show that Nuñez is the only public official who could be held administratively liable for following up with Malacañang the grant of the franchises for Philippine Communications and Clearinghouse Inc. and APC Wireless Interface Network, which were later vetoed by the President.

"How did the Ombudsman arrive at its initial findings? Were they based on the Ombudsman’s independent probe or on the investigation supposedly conducted by Malacañang on this scandal?" Oreta asked.

She recalled that President Arroyo had earlier ordered an in-house investigation into the controversy involving her husband and that the findings had been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman for appropriate action.

"The Ombudsman should now reveal the findings of that Palace investigation. From what we can glean from the Ombudsman’s statements, it looks like poor Miss Nuñez might turn out to be the fall girl in this case," Oreta said.

Veronica "Bing" Rodrigo, former presidential correspondence secretary, had earlier identified the First Gentleman as having lobbied for the reversal of the presidential veto. She later clarified her statement, saying she only heard of rumors linking him to a P50-million bribe to overturn the presidential veto.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III, former chairman of the Senate committee on public services that authored the measure granting the franchises, questioned why Malacañang vetoed the two franchises while approving those of about five others that were similarly worded.

"Somebody powerful must be against the operation of the two firms," Sotto said.

He contended that the franchise bills did not give any special privileges or powers to the two that would give them a distinct advantage over competitors.

Sen. Blas Ople has filed a resolution calling for an investigation of the scandal by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Sen. Joker Arroyo.