For critics, no explanation is enough ­- Mikey

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo insisted yesterday he wasn’t lying when he declared that a huge part of his wealth came from wedding gifts and campaign donations, and that his statement of assets and liabilities and net worth was “transparent.”

In an interview with anchor Joe Taruc of dzRH, Arroyo said there was nothing wrong about his admission – first made over GMA 7’s early morning program “Unang Hirit” – and that he only had a minor “misunderstanding” with anchor Winnie Monsod because of her reportedly rapid-fire questioning. Arnold Clavio was Monsod’s co-anchor.

“For those who want to seek explanation, hindi kami magsasawang mag-esplika sa kanila. Pero sa ayaw namang makinig sa aming eksplanasyon, wala na po talaga tayong magagawa duon, manong (we’ll never tire of giving explanation. But to those who don’t want to listen there’s nothing more we can do),” the young Arroyo said.

He again stressed that the SALN he filed was “detailed” and “self-explanatory” and that it was prepared by an “accountant-lawyer.”

“I know these are valid issues which need to be addressed. That’s why we are addressing them now,” Arroyo added.

He also said that the fact he allowed himself to be grilled by Monsod and Clavio, whom he considered two of the “most respected” broadcast journalists in the country, meant that he didn’t intend to hide anything at all.

“The thing is I went there kasi wala po akong tinatago (because I have nothing to hide). I didn’t choose the easy way out. Ang dali po sabihin sa kanila na naku hindi ako pupunta diyan (It’s easy to tell I couldn’t make it, because I have a prior commitment,”) Arroyo said.

“I have all the good intentions (in facing the GMA-7 interview) and it may have shown in my appearance as many friends texted me or called me after the program saying it was the right and brave (thing) to do,” he added.

“It must have been my inability to cope duon po sa mala-rapidong pagtatanong ni professor Monsod (with the rapid fire questioning from professor Monsod),” he said explaining why he was visibly upset during the interview.

“I respect her, and though her questioning had made me look bad or stupid, I guess very few people can actually really stand to questioning on live TV before millions of people. I admit I’m not as great as other politicians,” he said.

“But you have to give it to me that I went there to face the music so to speak, right? If my answers to those questions seem a little confused, ako lang po ang dapat sisihin (I’ll take all the blame). It’s my mistake alone,” he explained further.

Arroyo then turned to his lawyer Ruy Rondain to do all the explaining to Taruc regarding his SALN.

Rondain, who is also a counsel for Arroyo’s father Mike, reiterated that the surge in the younger Arroyo’s wealth from P5 million to P60 million as reflected in his SALN had something to do with the lawmaker’s marriage in June 2002 to his second cousin Angela Montenegro, who is “independently wealthy.”

“Yung unang SALN niya, bachelor pa siya nuon (His first SALN was made when he was still a bachelor),” Rondain said in Filipino.

He said Arroyo wouldn’t have wanted to answer the questions to protect their privacy, but the issue wouldn’t go away.

As for the $1.32-million house and lot in California, the lawyer clarified this was declared in the SALN as shares in Beachway Corp. in which the young Arroyo is a minor shareholder. “These were also listed,” he said.

He stressed there were “no inconsistencies” in the SALN, particularly regarding the campaign contribution. “It’s a matter of record.”