Shame and scandal in Arroyo family (1)

Iggy Arroyo obtains gag order in custody case

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Inquirer

Representative Ignacio Arroyo has succeeded in getting a court order barring his estranged wife, Alicia “Aleli’’ Arroyo, and her lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, from further disclosing details of the couple’s fight for custody of their nine-year-old daughter.
Arroyo’s lawyers, who claimed that the public disclosure of what was supposed to be a private domestic affair was politically motivated, said that the court’s gag order covered not only details of the marital dispute but also Aleli’s knowledge of the Jose Pidal account.

In a hastily-called press conference at the First Gentleman’s LTA Building in Makati, Arroyo appeared calm and collect as he read a prepared statement with his lawyers and advisers nearby, hardly the picture of a man caught in the middle of this year’s most sensational marriage break-up.

Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruth Duque, said they have received a court order signed March 22 enjoining Aleli and her lawyer from making any press statements regarding the case. Duque cited the policy statement of Presiding Judge Rosalina Pison in July 2002 which cited the need for media restraint on cases involving family relations lest the coverage foment more friction between the warring couple and traumatize the children.

Arroyo said: “As you all know, Aleli Arroyo has been doing the rounds and spreading false accusations against me and my family . I am shocked that she has stooped this low. Worst, I am deeply saddened that she has used my daughter as a pawn for no other reason than to gain leverage against me.”

“I will not engage her in a public debate of our domestic troubles. I will maintain my dignity and that of my family. And protect whatever little privacy my daughter has left. Please have pity on my child. It’s bad enough she cannot see me because of the devious acts of her mother,’’ he added.

Arroyo said he filed the child custody case in January this year or a month after he went out with his daughter (December 2006) for the last time.

“Please be fair to my daughter, she has suffered long enough. I feel very saddened and hurt as a father but my daughter is a victim of all of this,’’ said Arroyo. “I took care of her while she was growing up. We went to the mall the last time we went out. It has been a long time since I saw her or talked to her.’’

Arroyo said he got a report that his daughter has been brought to the United States by Aleli. He said he loves not only his daughter with Aleli but also his two children from his first marriage.
Arroyo dismissed as lies his wife’s claims that she and her daughter’s lives were in danger.

“She sees shadows that are not there. I don’t know, it’s not in our family’s nature to do that,’’ said Arroyo. ‘I want you to know that I will protect my own daughter at all costs, even at the cost of my own life. I will never ever do anything that will remotely put her in danger. I categorically deny the lies Aleli has been spreading against me and my family.’’

“You will note that I filed this case; you did not hear about it. In contrast she has made a circus and mockery of all these. May I remind Aleli that the very law she invokes and all the records in this case are to be treated with confidentiality,’’ said Arroyo. “Visitation is good enough for me. I just want to see my child.’’

Another Arroyo lawyer, Ruy Rondain, the attorney who sat beside the First Gentleman in the Senate hearing, said the gag order also covered Aleli’s knowledge of the Jose Pidal account especially because she included this in her petition.

“The court has the power to gag her (on the Jose Pidal issue). She’ll get into trouble with the court. I can’t imagine why she would want to talk about it. It’s in the case; she brought it in,’’ said Rondain.

In a text message, opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson said that the Senate would summon Aleli to shed light on the Jose Pidal case “only if she does so voluntarily.’’

“The Jose Pidal issue is far from resolved. It raised more questions than answers. We need a closure to it and the time may have come to close it the way we know,’’ said Lacson.
Arroyo, however, agreed with Aleli’s claim that he drew up a $1 million insurance for her but he stressed that it was with her full consent considering that she signed it herself.

In the National Western insurance agreement, Aleli listed her net worth as $2.081 in 2005 with the bulk or $1.5 million in real estate. Arroyo showed documents showing that the insurance coverage had lapsed on October 26, 2006.

Arroyo refused to comment on the collapse of their marriage although his lawyer revealed that trouble had been brewing since last year.

Duque said that Arroyo had filed a case against Aleli as early as August 22, 2006 for withdrawing “substantial’’ amounts of money from the couple’s conjugal fund while he was in Europe with the President on her state visit.

Arroyo did not respond to the other allegations by Aleli — such as being a “womanizer’’ and “gambler’’ — saying he would prefer to answer them in court. “We do everything by the law, I am a lawmaker. We have to follow the law.’’

When asked if he knew Grace Ibuna, he replied: “She is not part of this conversation. As far as knowing her, I cannot deny that, in fact I know a lot of other people.’’

Arroyo, who said the case has not affected his re-election bid, also declined to make any speculation on the motive of Aleli for making noise on the custody case but his lawyers supplied it for him.

Duque said: “We are saddened by Attorney (Lorna) Kapunan’s actions and we are contemplating on filing a motion for contempt. It is really very disappointing for her not to realize that what she is doing is wrong. She is identified with the opposition, the opposition has been using this.’’

Another source in Arroyo’s camp claimed that Aleli was seeking compensation totaling P2 billion.