FG files libel rap vs Cayetano

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo on Thursday filed a P32-million libel suit against House Deputy Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for accusing the First Family of stashing some $500 million in foreign banks. Arroyo submitted his 21-page affidavit past 2 p.m. before the office of prosecutor Claro Arellano at the Quezon City Hall of Justice, dzBB radio said. He alleged that Cayetano committed 13 counts of libel during interviews granted to various newspaper, radio and television news organizations. The libelous statements were supposedly made from August 17 to 28. In his affidavit, Arroyo said the supposed multiple malicious remarks were meant to pressure Congress into admitting evidence for the impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. "If Cayetano had simply taken the time to call me I would have entertained him. I would have been able to straighten out his error. He simply wanted to defame me and my family with the fabricated evidence," the First Gentleman said. He added, "Cayetano keeps on insinuating that the money was laundered in Germany and that I violated international banking laws. He also kept challenging me and my family to issue a 'waiver' over this alleged German account, again insinuating that there is anything I am hiding to begin with." The Arroyo camp now wants Cayetano to pay P30 million in moral damages and P2 million in attorney's fees. Fight back For his part, the Taguig-Pateros lawmaker was unfazed by Arroyo's legal action. He told GMANews.TV that, "I will face it and answer charges because I am not guilty." "I hope (President Arroyo) would answer charges also instead of harassing their detractors and hiding behind offensive moves. Expect more suits, maybe even rebellion charges, once evidence starts showing the President guilty of impeachment charges," Cayetano said. The lawmaker earlier sought the permission of President Arroyo, her husband, son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel and brother-in-law Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo to look into their foreign and local bank accounts. Following his trip to Germany, the First Gentleman presented certification from the Hypovereinsbank in Munich that purportedly shows that he does not maintain a bank account there. The "wealth" was purportedly kept under the bank account number 87570-23030-32100-6271-571. Evidence of the money in this bank account was supposedly contained in one of seven boxes that the House minority failed to present during hearings on the impeachment complaint against the President. Cayetano, as well as opposition senators, said Arroyo might have rushed to Germany to cover the latter's tracks and ensure the the bank records were clean. The Quezon City prosecutor told radio station dzBB that he would promptly examine the documents submitted by the First Gentleman. - with a report from Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV