Akbayan party spokesperson Risa Hontiveros on Friday branded Ang Galing Partylist Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo as the “Pinoy Al Capone” whom she said should be brought to his own “Alcatraz." This was after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed a P 73.85 million tax evasion case against Arroyo and his wife Angela in the Department of Justice.
“We welcome this initiative on the part of the government. Kaya maraming naghihirap at nagugutom dahil sa mga taong katulad nina Mikey na nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan sa hindi pagbabayad ng buwis. I hope Mikey “Al Capone” Arroyo’s tax evasion exploits will lead him to his own “Alcatraz,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros also challenged Arroyo to bare his income tax return even as the former party-list law maker called on the Ethics Committee of the House of Representative to start an inquiry on the finances of the Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP) congressman
“If Mikey is confident that he’s no tax cheat, then he should show us his ITR. A simple presentation of one’s tax payments will prove if he’s a religious tax payer or a tax evader,” Hontiveros said.
“We hope Congress will seriously look into the matter. It cannot afford to have a member who is seriously accused of cheating on his taxes. The ethics committee must immediately start an investigation on this,” Hontiveros noted.
Hontiveros said her group is not surprised with the tax evasion charge hurled against Arroyo. “The mere fact that he together with Ombudsman Gutierrez gave the people a hard time in accessing his SALN and the subsequent revelation of numerous undeclared properties gave strong credence that he is hiding ill-gotten wealth.”
“This is what Ombudsman Gutierrez is trying to protect. Behind Gutierrez is a vault of ill-gotten wealth accumulated by the Arroyo family. Gutierrez is the keeper of the key to the Arroyos’ Pandora’s Box. Kung may second envelope noong panahon ni Erap, may baul ng nakaw na yaman naman ang mga Arroyo na binabantayan ni Merci,” Hontiveros added.
On June 2009, the Office of the Ombudsman issued Memorandum Circular No. 1, tightening requirements for access to officials’ SALN, including a declaration under oath by the requesting party that the documents will not be used for harassment. However, what constitutes harassment was not defined.
The memorandum was issued amid conflicting explanations given by then Presidential son Arroyo, about a waterfront property he acquired in California after he joined Congress. The young Arroyo claimed the property had been turned over to a private company where he is a shareholder.
However, it was determined that no such company was registered in the county where the property is located, and that the property was under the name of his wife Angela. Later, Arroyo said the money he used came from gifts at his wedding and campaign donations.
Hontiveros asked the government not to waver in the fight against corruption particularly on big time tax evaders.
“I hope the government will remain fervent in this effort. The task of prosecuting Mikey will serve as a strong warning to other big-time tax evaders that their efforts to dodge their tax commitments are over,” Hontiveros concluded.
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