Iggy Arroyo: Brother to the rescue

Rappler.com

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The 60-year-old solon was declared clinically dead in London, where he was treated for liver cancer

Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo. (Photo courtesy of http://www.iggyarroyo.net.ph/)MANILA, Philippines – Negros Occidental 5th district Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo was declared “brain dead” in London on Thursday, January 26.

The 60-year-old Arroyo, younger brother of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, has been living in London for about 3 months now, where he was treated for liver cancer.

Reports showed that Mike Arroyo clarifed earlier stories attributed to him, and said Iggy was clinically dead and on life support that could be taken out anytime. Mike Arroyo was expected to issue a statement.

Earlier, quoting Mike Arroyo, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio told Rappler that Iggy Arroyo has passed away.

Topacio said doctors at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London tried to revive him, and they succeeded, but he went into cardiac arrest and became comatose. Topacio said Iggy Arroyo died at around 7 am Philippine time and 12 midnight London time.

The 3-term congressman figured promimently in the controversies that hounded Mike Arroyo.

On at least 3 occasions, Iggy Arroyo took the rap for his brother and wife, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In 1998, a few months before the elections where Mrs Arroyo ran as vice president, the Inquirer ran a story, with matching photos, of commercial buildings in San Franciso, USA, that were supposedly owned by Mrs Arroyo and her husband. These properties were not declared in Mrs Arroyo’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

Mike Arroyo then said Iggy owned these properties.

In 2003, Sen. Panfilo Lacson exposed the so-called Jose Pidal bank accounts, saying these were owned by Mike Arroyo. The supposed secret accounts reportedly contained about P200-M.

Again, Iggy Arroyo told investigators that he was Jose Pidal, even submitting a specimen signature that appeared similar to what was presented by Lacson.

Faked signature?

But signature experts later said Iggy’s signature did not match Pidal’s. Years later, a retired police general testified before the Senate to say that Iggy copied the signature of Jose Pidal right inside the National Police headquarters in Camp Crame and later submitted the specimen signature to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that was investigating it.

Only last year, the Senate investigated Mike Arroyo over accusations he sold his own helicopters to the National Police for the price of brand new units.
 
Again, Iggy came forward to say that it was he who owned the choppers, not Mike.

Bumalik na naman si Jose Pidal. Si iggy na naman ang nagsasabi, na inaamin kung ano man ang sabit ng kanyang kapatid,” Drilon told radio dzMM in August 2011.
 
Last week, Mike Arroyo asked the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss criminal complaints filed against him in connection with the alleged fraudulent sale of second-hand choppers priced as brand new to the Philippine National Police in 2009.

Accompanied by lawyer Edna Herrera-Batacan, Mr Arroyo submitted his 30-page counter affidavit declaring that he had already assigned his 998,980 shares in Lourdes T. Arroyo Inc. (LTA) in favor of Benito Aaraneta way back March 15, 2001.

“The truth is that I never paid any money to Mr Po or Lionair and I had no part in his acquisition of the five helicopters from Robinson Helicopter Corp. It was LTA, a corporation with a distinct and separate juridical personality, thru its president, Mr. Ignacio T. Arroyo, who transacted with Mr. Po for the advancement of money…,” he said. – Rappler.com

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