Vehicle with official sticker of the Office of the President and a gate pass to Malacaņang Palace seen outside alleged new house of President Arroyo in Lubao, Pampanga
MANILA - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's lawyer on Thursday denied that she owns a relatively new one-story house in Barangay San Nicolas, Lubao, Pampanga.
"It is not owned by the First Family. It is owned by Eva Development [Corp.]," lawyer Ruy Rondain told ABS-CBN News' Willard Cheng when asked about the house reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Thursday. "PGMA and Mike Arroyo were once investors in that company but they divested in 2000."
Rondain said the President's declared residence in Pampanga is Calle Cucu, Barangay San Nicolas, Primer 1 in Lubao.
The newspaper report said neighbors and a security guard of the house interviewed by its provincial correspondent confirmed that the house in Barangay San Nicolas 1 is owned by Mrs. Arroyo. The house was reportedly built in late 2008 before the President made frequent visits to her home province.
The report added that the property was not included in Mrs. Arroyo's statement of assets, liabilities and net worth from 1991 to 2008, but it has been referred to in a previous Malacaņang media advisory as an "Arroyo residence."
ABS-CBN News went to the house on Thursday to try to confirm the report. An armed man faced the news team and claimed he owns the house.
ABS-CBN News, however, spotted a vehicle with an official sticker of the Office of the President and had a gate pass to Malacaņang Palace.
Rondain said Mrs. Arroyo and her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel 'Mike' Arroyo, were former investors in Eva Development Corp., the firm that owns the house. He said the First Couple divested from the company in 2000.
Malacaņang has admitted that the President sometimes uses the house when she goes to Lubao. "Indeed, it's true that when she's in Lubao, sometimes, she stays in that house," said deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo.
Rondain said it's possible the corporate officers of Eva Development Corp. allow the First Couple to use the house since they used to be investors in the firm and the fact that she is the president of the Philippines.
Asked about the marked vehicle parked at the Lubao home seen by ABS-CBN News, the lawyer declined to comment. "You have to ask Malacaņang about that," Rondain said.
47th visit to Pampanga
Meanwhile, President Arroyo made her 47th visit to Pampanga on Thursday. She attended an IT summit at the Clark Special Economic Zone then inspected various government projects in Porac and Floridablanca towns.
On Wednesday, the President inspected a river dredging project in her hometown of Lubao.
The chief executive's visits to Pampanga have fueled speculations she will run for Congress after her term ends next year.
Critics believe Mrs. Arroyo wants to become Prime Minister if her allies succeed in amending the 1987 Constitution and changing the system of government from presidential to parliamentary.
napanood ko ito sa news kagabi.. mukhang may tinatago eh noh?
__________________ Marquez can go to the mountains, break rocks, drink pee and then come here and get knocked out. --- Pacquiao's conditioning aide Alex Ariza on a third Pacquiao-Marquez fight
well they could say it is under a foundation, but the foundation is the cover up of their ill gotten wealth, just like erap, when will the masa learn that they are just being used by this politicians, in short that house still belongs to gloria cause the foundation is theirs anyway
I guess yon nga talaga ang issue.. wala namang problema kung aminin nila eh na kanila iyon sa unang interview pa lang.. and ok din yong lalaki na nag sabing kanya ang bahay ha hehehe eh but im not being judgemental pero kung ikaw ang may ari ng bahay hmm i dont think aalialigid ka sa bahay ng ganun ganun lang hehehe at wala sa itsura nya ang mag mamay ari ng ganun ha hehehehe
the issue base on the interview and news articles is that they first denied the house then accepts it, typical admin style
Originally Posted by dBeNtZiE
I guess yon nga talaga ang issue.. wala namang problema kung aminin nila eh na kanila iyon sa unang interview pa lang.. and ok din yong lalaki na nag sabing kanya ang bahay ha hehehe eh but im not being judgemental pero kung ikaw ang may ari ng bahay hmm i dont think aalialigid ka sa bahay ng ganun ganun lang hehehe at wala sa itsura nya ang mag mamay ari ng ganun ha hehehehe
Originally Posted by KillaCrab
IMO this administration is prone to lie and mislead the people.. they have done it again and again..
Like what her sons did Mrs. Arroyo will only deny ownership of the mansion. Bakit hindi na lamang nila sabihin na ang lahat-lahat ng kanila tinatamasang kayamanan ay galing kay Don Mike Arroyo na "the richest man in the whole universe" dahil may lola na isa raw na Santa Katolika.
Does the TITLE to the house and lot confirm the ownership?
Maybe ABS-CBN should check this out instead of taking the word of the neighbors and security guard.
__________________
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear. - Thomas Jefferson
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