Piatco probe not a political circus – Joker

Sen. Joker Arroyo, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, lashed yesterday at people and groups trying to turn into a political circus the committee investigation into the government contract with the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco).

Arroyo aired the criticism after Linda Olaguer-Montayre, chairwoman of the Philippine Consultative Assembly, asked the Blue Ribbon to reinvestigate the Piatco contract as PCA had a ready witness willing to shed light on the transaction.

Montayre had earlier claimed that First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was close to Alfredo Liongson, the former $200,000-a month public relations consultant of Piatco. Mr. Arroyo denied ever knowing Liongson.

"We believe you readily won in the last senatorial election because of your campaign slogan ‘Ubusin ang mga korup.’ We hope you will indeed help rid our country of corrupt officials who proliferate our bureaucracy today," Montayre said in her letter to Arroyo dated Sept. 25.

Arroyo said he would never allow the use of Blue Ribbon investigation to further any political agenda.

He, however, said that had Montayre and her group contacted the Blue Ribbon while the Piatco investigation was ongoing, Montayre might have been called to testify.

Arroyo stressed that it is the policy of Blue Ribbon Committee to open its hearings to any resource person with relevant information to offer. A prior interview and evaluation of evidence is needed before a person would be invited to speak as resource person in committee investigation.

"But if the information is only hearsay and is not documented, the person offering the information will not be called to testify," he added.

He said that in the case of Montayre, she was nowhere to be found while the investigation was ongoing.

"She offered to testify at a time when we were merely waiting for the memoranda of various parties," he said.

At the same time, he did not close the possibility of entering a second phase of the Piatco investigation if called upon by committee members. Arroyo said the second phase might involve hearing allegations of graft and corruption in the contract.

"We have already finished investigating allegations that the Piatco contract is onerous and disadvantageous to the government. We have already heard possible violations of the law and proposed remedial legislation," he said.