Senate grants protection to witness in PNP choppers issue
The Senate has granted protection to the supplier of two pre-owned helicopters that were sold as new to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009. The chamber made the announcement after Lion Air president Archibald Legaspi Po last week asked to be included in the inclusion in the government's witness protection program. "The Senate President has approved your inclusion in the witness protection," Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said Thursday. Last week, Po confirmed that Mr. Arroyo was the previous owner of the choppers that were sold as brand new to the PNP in 2009. Mr. Arroyo has since denied the allegation. Lion Air was the supplier which sold two R44 Raven I choppers which were allegedly previously owned by the former First Gentleman to the Manila Aerospace Trading Corporation (MAPTRA), which sold and priced them as brand new to the PNP. But on Thursday, Po denied that he was involved in any anomalous transaction with the PNP. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, however, quizzed Po regarding his previous statement that he supposedly loaned helicopters to the late presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr. As of posting time, the hearing was still ongoing. - Kim Tan/RSJ, GMA News