Ex-police exec says Iggy isn't 'Jose Pidal'

MANILA, Philippines - A retired police official today revealed in a Senate hearing that he was ordered by former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno to help clear former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo from the 2003 Jose Pidal controversy.

Former police Chief Superintendent Restituto Mosqueda, who was head of the PNP Crime Laboratory, told the Blue Ribbon committee, said that he got a call from Puno and lawyer Antonio Zulueta after Sen. Panfilo Lacson revealed in a privilege speech on Aug. 18, 2003 the Jose Pidal account and claimed that it was owned by the former first gentleman.

Mosqueda said that Zulueta contacted him on the same day and asked for an emergency meeting. "He said that we must do whatever it takes to make it appear that it was not FG's signature."

The retired police officer said that Puno also called him and set a meeting for the next day, Aug. 19, 2003.

"It was there and then when Sec. Puno gave instructions to me to make it appear that Ignacio 'Iggy' arroyo owned the Jose Pidal (signature) and not the first gentleman," Mosqueda said in his affidavit.

He also said that Iggy went to the PNP-Crime Laboratory and another man he only knew as Francisco Cancio to submit signature specimens.

"Immediately thereafter, Franciscio "Kit" Cancio together with a man whom I recognized as Iggy Arroyo went to the PNP Crime Laborary office in Camp Crame and under my supervision, Ignacio Arroyo copying and signing as Jose Pidal," Mosqueda said.

The signature specimens had been submitted to the Senate to bolster claims that Negros Occidentel Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo and not the former first gentleman, owned the Jose Pidal accounts.

Mosqueda said that in another meeting in a Makati office, Puno commended him for a job well done, promising to work for his appointment as a director in a regional police office in the Visayas.

He said Zulueta and Cancio were also present during the meeting.

Mosqueda also claimed that Iggy called him up and offered to shoulder the expenses for a travel in either Hong Kong or United States and a new car.

"I subsequently received a phone call from Iggy Arroyo offering all expenses vacation to the United States or Hong Kong and a brand new car of my choice to show his gratitude which I politely declined,” he said.

Mosqueda said he was also invited to a dinner in a posh hotel in Makati where the former first gentleman informed him that he was already appointed as regional police director in Bicol.

"Thank you general for everything," he quoted Mike arroyo as saying in another party at the LTA office sometime 2004.

Mosqueda said that he came out with his affidavit to unravel the truth behind the Jose Pidal account which hounded his conscience for eight years.

"Hindi ako makatulog kapag iniisip ko itong ginagawa kong ito," he said.

Puno, who was at the hearing as a resource person for the 2009 PNP choppers deal investigatin,  denied Mosqueda’s claim. He said he was not the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government at that time.

"I did not know him until February 2006 when I was appointed as DILG secretary," Puno said.

Mosqueda, however, claimed Puno has been close to the Arroyos even before he was installed as DILG head.

Mosqueda was presented to the committee by Lacson, who last week, said that he can show proof that Iggy Arroyo lied when he claimed that he was Jose Pidal to rescue his brother from the controversy.

Lacson had claimed that the Jose Pidal account was used by the former first gentleman to launder money and siphon off at least P321 million in campaign funds and contributions.