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The Shield of Mike

RECENT EVENTS brought by the nature of things in this life tend to favor certain direction in overall events. Is it grace? Or, is it simply a painful joke that decides fortune and misfortune?

Yesterday, Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio Arroyo sufferred a heart attack while in his home in London. He had been there for his regular checkup on his liver ailments. But this time the cardiac event proved fatal as he cruised to coma, declared clinically dead, and then finally remove any life support as the medical team handling his case pronounced him dead. He died at age 61.

This event has huge and unprecedented impact on the legal battles of his brother former First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo (FG) who is facing a criminal rap in connection to the purchase of three used helicopters by the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the time of his wife's presidential term.

Iggy, as Congressman Arroyo is known to his friends, had been a valuable shield of FG in various legal complaints against him.

In 2003, Senator Panfilo Lacson accused FG for keeping the multi-million Jose Pidal accounts. Iggy stepped forward saying that he owns the said accounts and not his brother.

Last year, on the issue of the PNP purchase of used helicopters, FG again figured in the alleged transaction, and apparently owns the sold helicopters that had been used in his wife's political campaigns. Again Iggy stepped in as the alleged owner of the sold helicopters.

His death became a slash on the witnesses that will support the innocence of FG before the Court. Will it effectively destroy the defense? That is something to look into in the coming months.

At the end of the day, Filipinos, religious people we are, believes in the eventual triumph of the truth over the lies and posturings. This event may prove to be a crucial factor in tipping the scale of balance in favor the Filipinos who lost a lot in the rigged transaction.
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