A million-dollar home in an affluent town in California is now at the center of a controversy in the Philippines.
The home, which is valued at US$1.3 million and located along Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City, is allegedly owned by Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey†Arroyo.
Rep. Arroyo is the eldest son of President Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Vera Files, a group of investigative journalists claimed that Rep. Arroyo failed to include the said property in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net (SALN) worth in the last two years.
However, Arroyo said his SALN includes the beach park property as part of his business interests and financial connections.
Arroyo said that the property "is registered under Beach Way Park LLC, in which I am a shareholder and which I declared in my SALN."
Data from the San Mateo County Assessor's Office shows otherwise. Arroyo’s wife, Angela, is listed as the only owner and not a corporation as the congressman claims.
Philippine law requires public officials to declare property owned by their spouse.
"The claim of another person is that it is owned by a corporation but actually based on the proof here, based on the evidences it is owned by the individual…that should be recognized not the one he's saying or claiming,†said Rey Satorre, Daly City Planning Commissioner.
Ric Bareng of the National Alliance of Filipino American Real Estate professionals said the Assessor's Office sometimes makes errors but never on ownership.
"There are so many people that validate and verify data so everybody knows that whoever is buying the property is the person legitimately supposed to own the property. So, I've never seen it happen. Somebody is not able to provide the name of the person or the parties involved in the purchase of a home that could be grounds for major liability and major lawsuit,†Bareng said.
The Philippine House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is now investigating the Arroyo family's assets in the US.(ABS-CBN news)
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