MANILA, Philippines – Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo posted bail Tuesday, March 13, before the Sandiganbayan in relation to a graft case, and expressed confidence he will eventually get acquitted.

Mike Arroyo faces an allegation he violated Section 3(g) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The said section enumerates acts or omissions that “shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful.”

One of these is listed in sub-section g: “Entering, on behalf of the government, into any contract or transaction manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the same, whether or not the public officer profited or will profit thereby.”

Mike Arroyo, who arrived at the Sandiganbayan at around 1 pm and left around 45 minutes later, said the graft case he is charged with shouldn’t apply to him.

“That section, that’s for public officials; that’s not private persons. That’s why I’m very sure I will be vindicated later on,” Mike Arroyo said in a brief interview after he posted bail.

On Tuesday, the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against Mike Arroyo along with 3 others – his wife, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former Transportation Sec Leandro Mendoza, and former Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos – in connection with a single graft charge.  

This involves allegations that they exerted influence to push for the approval of the $329 million proposal of Chinese firm ZTE Inc. to undertake the national broadband network (NBN) project. – Rappler.com