By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star) - The suppliers of the helicopters that were sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009 implicated former first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo during yesterday’s Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing.
The revelation of two businessmen who were grilled by the senators paved the way for the committee to invite Arroyo to the next hearing.
However, Arroyo’s lawyer said there was nothing in the Senate inquiry that would incriminate his client on allegations that he pressured the PNP into purchasing his helicopters and passed them off as brand-new.
Lion Air Inc. owner Archibald Po revealed that he personally delivered $700,000 to the former first gentleman in his law office at the LTA Building in Makati City on April 16, 2010.
The amount represented the payment for two Raven helicopters priced at $350,000 each, Arroyo’s selling price for each unit.
Po said he personally delivered the money to Arroyo, who turned it over to Rowena del Rosario, said to be his bookkeeper.
The transaction took place three days after the PNP paid Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (Maptra) the remaining balance of P49,689,401.80 for the P105-million deal on April 13, 2010.
The senators found the amount exorbitant since the price of five-year old Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters is only between $260,000 to $280,000 per unit.
Mike Arroyo
Hilario de Vera, Maptra president and general manager, also claimed that Po received P3.505 million for what he demanded as commission for his “extra efforts” in the sale.
He admitted that they split P7 million as part of the deal.
Amid questions of overpricing, de Vera said no PNP officials benefited from the deal in terms of commissions.
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