"I SAW HIM SIGN CHECKS AS JOSE PIDAL" SAYS FORMER MIKE'S MESSENGER

MANILA, August 26, 2003  (MALAYA) By JP LOPEZ  - A former messenger of Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo yesterday said he saw him sign several checks using the name Jose Pidal.

In a press conference arranged in Makati City by the camp of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Eugenio Mahusay said the checks were either for withdrawal or deposit at the Union Bank branch on Perea st. in Legaspi village, Makati, just across the LTA building where Arroyo holds office.

"He signed right in front of me, ako mismo nagpapapirma, the checks under the name Jose Pidal after which, he would direct me to withdraw 'pay-to-cash' from Union Bank, in front of the LTA building," he said.

Mr. Arroyo's spokeswoman, Patricia Bunye-Roxas, could not be reached for comment. Officials said she was in a meeting. Her father, pres-idential spokesman Ignacio Bunye, referred inquiries to Ms. Roxas.

Mahusay said Mr. Arroyo also maintains a personal account in the same bank, which he referred to as the JMA account.

Mahusay said when he would ask Mr. Arroyo to sign a check, the latter "would ask, `Is that (check) JP or JMA?' JP means Jose Pidal and JMA, Jose Miguel Arroyo or Atty. Mike because he also has a personal account in Union Bank," Mahusay said.

Although most of the incidents on the issuance of alleged Pidal checks would take place with only him present, Mahusay said there were times Victoria Toh was present.

Pidal, Victoria Toh, Thomas Toh Jr. and Kelvin Tan are Mr. Arroyo's alleged dummies, according to Lacson.

"Sometimes an officemate would accompany me to the bank," he said, adding withdrawals would range from P500,000 to P5 million per transaction.

Mahusay said he had also been ordered several times by Mr. Arroyo to make withdrawals from the Lualhati Foundation.

The foundation is where, according to Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez, P3 million of the P8 million donation he gave to Mrs. Arroyo several years ago ended.

Edgardo Manda, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, is one of the incorporators of the Lualhati Foundation.

According to Mahusay, the following are the account holders, their address, name and branch of the banks, account numbers, and signatories:

* Lualhati Foundation: Address at 8/F LTA Bldg., 118 Perea st. in Legaspi village, Makati; Union Bank-Perea branch, Account No. 073-0011283-9; signatory is Edgardo Manda.

* Jose Pidal: 8/F LTA Bldg. 118 Perea st., Makati; Union Bank-Perea; No. 073-001483-6; Jose Miguel Arroyo.

* Jose Pidal: 8/F LTA Bldg. 118 Perea st., Makati; BPI Family Bank-Perea; No. 661-500497-7; Jose Miguel Arroyo

* Victoria "Vicky" Toh: 118 LTA Bldg., Perea st., Makati; Union Bank-Perea; No. 073-001820-9; Victoria "Vicky" Toh.

* Kelvin N. Tan c/o Vicky Toh: 8/F LTA Bldg. Perea st., Makati; Union Bank-Perea; No. 073-001833-7; Kelvin N. Tan

* Kelvin N. Tan: 8/F LTA Bldg., 118 Perea st., Legaspi village, Makati; International Exchange Bank, Perea-Legaspi; No. 041-02-0-0017020; Kelvin N. Tan

* Thomas Toh Jr., c/o Victoria Toh. 8/F LTA Bldg. Perea st., Makati; Union Bank-Perea; No. 073-001993-7; Thomas Toh Jr.

Mahusay said he started working for the Arroyos in 1996 as a messenger at Mrs. Arroyo's satellite office at the Velco bldg. in Port Area, Manila, when she was a senator.

In 1998, when Mrs. Arroyo became vice president, he said he was transferred also as a messenger in LTA Realty Inc. at the LTA building. He worked until March 2002.

He said he left Arroyo's employ last year after he was accused of stealing money and a cellphone.

"Unang una po kasi, gusto ko lang mapatunayan sa sarili ko na, kasi pinagbintangan nila ako magnanakaw. Gusto ko lang patunayan, pagkalaki ng anak ko, na di ko ginawa yun. Kaya dun sa mga kapatid ko na nakikinig, sana maintindihan ninyo `ko. Gusto ko lang na maging malinis yung pangalan natin na Mahusay. Yun lang po ... kasi po nawawala po dun yung pera saka cellphone," Mahusay said.

He said he came to know Mr. Arroyo when he was chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan council in Pansol, Quezon City. He said he frequented the Arroyo residence at No. 14 Baguio st. in La Vista because it is under the barangay's jurisdiction.

He said Mr. and Mrs. Arroyo stood as sponsors when he got married in 1997.

Lacson said Jose Pidal and Victoria Toh have a joint account at Union Bank as of July 30 this year. He refused to give details, saying only the account contains "millions of pesos."

On the BPI-Perea branch which has closed, he said: "Nagsara yung Perea branch ng BPI kasi nag-transfer sila sa main office."

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Lacson should stop "barking like a dog and make the bite" by filing charges.

"Sana iharap na niya agad sa korte. Kung baga panay inaamba lang niya, parang kumbaga ay tahol lang ng tahol. Kung talagang mayroon siyang matibay na ebidensiya huwag na siyang magtatahol, kumagat na talaga siya at iyan ay gawin niya doon sa korte," Bunye said.

Rep. Gilbert Teodoro (NPC) asked Mr. Arroyo to prove he is not Jose Pidal.

"The public will not be satisfied by merely brushing off the allegations and saying `Sue me.' I think the First Gentleman should tell the public his side of the story, and not merely brush the allegations aside," he said.

Assistant minority leader Rep. Gilbert Remulla (LDP, Cavite) said Malacaņang has started to deploy "propaganda thugs" to destroy the credibility of Lacson.

He said the Palace should answer the issues.

"It's very pathetic, Malacaņang is obviously resorting to muckraking to muddle the issues raised by Senator Lacson during his privilege speech," Remulla said.

House minority leader Carlos Padilla (LDP, Nueva Vizcaya) said his pro-administration colleagues should stop the "orchestrated chorus" to prematurely clear the presidential husband.

"The Senate is about to conduct its investigation. Let the senators do their work without interference from the House," Padilla said. (With Jocelyn Montemayor and Dennis Gadil)