Ombudsman panel recommends graft raps vs Mike A.

MANILA, Philippines - A fact-finding panel of the Office of the Ombudsman has recommended the filing of graft charges against former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo for the allegedly anomalous chopper deal of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009.

A source told philstar.com that the fact-finding committee recommends the filing of graft charges against Arroyo for "undue injury to the government" and "for entering into a contract grossly disadvantageous to government."

The other cases recommended by the panel were falsification of public documents and other administrative charges.

The other personalities tagged in the procurement scam were former Interior and Local Government secretary Ronaldo Puno and former PNP chief Jesus Verzosa.

The investigating panel consolidated two separate plunder and graft complaints filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) last September 2 and Senators Teofisto Guingona III, Panfilo Lacson, and Aquilino Pimentel III last October 13.

Second-hand helicopters worth P62.6 million were allegedly sold to the PNP as brand new in 2009.

Arroyo is being tagged as the real owner of the light operational helicopters sold by the Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corporation (MAPTRA) based on the testimony of Lion Air Inc. president Archibald Po and other witnesses.

Po revealed during the Senate committee's hearings that the two used helicopters were among the five units bought by Arroyo for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presidential campaign in 2004.

There were allegations that the helicopters may have been used by the former first gentleman in vote-rigging operations in Mindanao.

Others charged were former PNP deputy chief for operations, retired Police Deputy Director General Jefferson P Soriano; former director for comptrollership, retired Police Director Romeo C. Hilomen; former director for logistics, retired Director Luizo C Ticman; and former director for Research Division, retired Police Director Ronald Roderos.

Active officials of the PNP, who were charged with plunder were Director Leocadio Santiago Jr., Director George Q Piano, Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde, and Police Senior Superintendent Lurimen Detran.

Po and Renato Sia of Lionair Inc. and Hilario de Vera, president of the Manila Aerospace Products Trading Inc. (MAPTRA) were also included as respondents in the police's complaint.