Palace shrugs off claims of "solons' gifts", says they're just rumors

Malacañang on Friday did not give credence to allegations that administration congressmen had received cash gifts in a recent meeting with the President.

Earlier, Iloilo Vice-Gov. Rolex Suplico said congressmen allied with the Arroyo administration were given envelopes full of money in exchange for support for the allegedly unsubstantial impeachment complaint.

Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said in a statement, "If rumor-mongering could only generate income, the Philippines would have the highest GDP (gross domestic product) in the world."

Reports indicated the lawmakers received cash from P200,000 to P500,000.  Likewise, they were aso offered pork barrel worth millions of pesos.

Yesterday, 190 congressmen-members of the Lakas-Christian and Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino trooped to the Palace to tackle the reported rift in the administration coalition, the proposed P1.227-trillion national budget, and the impeachment case against Pres. Arroyo.