Status of Pidal hearing

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel has come out with the statement that Sen. Panfilo Lacson has until the next joint Senate hearing to submit all the "originals of the evidence he has" to bolster his accusations that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo laundered millions of pesos in secret bank accounts. Lacson’s second privileged speech went as far as to identify the banks. Six of the banks – Union Bank, Banco de Oro, BPI Family Savings Bank, Philam Savings Bank, Banco Filipino and Allied Bank – have all issued certifications denying that such Pidal account exists. Who then is committing a crime? The accuser who makes unsubstantiated charges or the accused who has to confront accusations that are not corraborated by evidenced?

The only specific charge that Lacson mentioned against Mike Arroyo was an alleged deposit of P1.35 million from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, which he claimed was deposited in the Jose Pidal account. Now it has been established that the check was a lotto prize money paid to a certain Fortunato Tiratira and the amount was a mere P23,000. Who was lying on this matter – Lacson or Arroyo?

Senator Lacson is reportedly now abroad and people are assuming that it is to gather more evidence. We hope that he will be present, not only to clarify matters, but to present evidence that will stand in court.

The biggest issue on the current Pidal case is Ignacio Arroyo’s claim that he and not his brother Jose Miguel, is the Jose Pidal. He emerged from total anonymity to become the current controversial figure in the Pidal case and later refused to answer any question on the grounds that it was a violation of his right to privacy.

In the case of Mike Arroyo, he is paying a daily penalty because of Lacson’s unsubstantiated charges. Everyday there is a demonstration in front of his LTA building in Perea Street, Makati and the placards, the demonstrations carry say, "Conjugal Corruption". Clearly the target here is not only the First Gentleman, but President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself.

So many people are paying a price for Senator Lacson’s accusation concerning the Pidal account. But to this day, Lacson has not presented any evidence that will prove his charges.

Ignacio Arroyo will soon be called again to testify and if he continues to invoke his right to privacy, he can be cited for contempt and he will have no recourse except to challenge it in the Supreme Court. Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said, "We don’t want to detain him unless its absolutely necessary. We don’t want to make a martyr out of him. But the issue is an important one." Where is the dividing line to right of privacy and public interest? We believe that Ignacio owes it to himself to answer the Senators’ questions concerning the Pidal accounts. It is the only way to prove that there is nothing illegal about said accounts. That will leave Senator Lacson having to carry the burden of the proof. So far he has come out with absolutely nothing.