Mikey confronts bishop on jueteng

Presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo confronted Pangasinan Archbishop Oscar Cruz during a congressional hearing yesterday on reports linking the Arroyos, along with police officers and national and local officials, to jueteng.

President Arroyo’s favorite son told the Church leader during a hearing of the House games and amusement committee to substantiate his allegations that national and local officials were receiving monthly payola from jueteng operators.

"Your Excellency, these are serious accusations, and unless you can support them with evidence, they will be considered hearsay or rumors," he said.

Cruz, who heads the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, said they had compiled information on illegal gambling operators and illegal gambling money recipients "from usually reliable sources, both from inside and outside government."

"Many of our informants are government officials and police officers. Our job is to bring out this information so the authorities can have the leads on which to launch an investigation. It is not within our purview and resources to produce hard evidence. That is the job of the proper agencies of government," he said.

He took exception to Arroyo’s suggestion that their information amounted to rumors.

"We do not indulge in rumors. We have better things to do. And our goal is to help, not to destroy," he said.

The presidential son also asked the bishop about his allegation that female personnel of the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. (Pagcor) were made GROs (guest relations officers) during the birthday of his father, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, at Malacañang last year.

"I was there, and there was no GRO. Why would my father have GROs when even his granddaughter Mikhaela was there?" he asked.

Cruz responded by saying that his statement was to the effect that Pagcor employees were "made to act like GROs by showing guests around and attending to their needs."

"These Pagcor employees are marketing assistants, and certainly, showing guests around during the birthday of the First Gentleman is not part of their job description," he said.

He also said the Pagcor personnel "were asked" to file charges against him. They "eventually withdrew such charges," he added.

Upon hearing the words "were asked," Arroyo, visibly angry, tried to cut short the Church leader’s testimony, but congressmen prevailed upon him not to interrupt the committee’s resource person.

After the bishop had finished his statement, the presidential son urged him to be "cautious in rattling off accusations."

Cruz later told reporters they had been hearing the names of the Arroyos in connection with jueteng, but admitted there is really no solid evidence against them.

Rep. Arroyo, the First Gentleman and his congressman-brother, Jose Ignacio Arroyo, have denied they are protecting illegal gambling or receiving money from gambling lords.