Pagcor emissary lured anti-Arroyo group?

An alleged emissary, said to be a nephew of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Efraim Genuino, reportedly approached the leader of a staunch anti-Arroyo group in June and offered financial support for its livelihood projects in exchange for a more "tamed" criticism of President Arroyo.

Jaime Regalario, chairman of the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME), claimed they were approached by a certain Jojo de Leon shortly after the political crisis began in June.

Regalario told reporters that De Leon began calling in June for a meeting and that they met only once.

"I was declining to meet him even the first time he called me because I had the inkling that the meeting could be dubious... I smelled something suspicious about it," Regalario said.

"True enough, during that first and last meeting we had... towards the end of the meeting, the collaterals to the offer for financial support to the group’s livelihood projects were revealed, which was to restrain us from demanding for the resignation of Mrs. Arroyo."

According to Regalario, De Leon offered funding for the KME’s livelihood projects for the poor and told him to "name the price."

Regalario said he politely declined the offer, asserting that the group had enough funds to support its projects, and instead requested De Leon to leave them alone.

However, De Leon kept calling and even asked Regalario to meet with Genuino, Regalario claimed.Genuino was not immediately available for comment. — Katherine Adraneda