(Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO, Illinois (JGLi) – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero vowed Saturday (June 13) to relent to a request by the United States to extradite President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Filipino officials if he is elected president next year.

According to an article from MabuhayRadio.com, an Internet news outlet based in Los Angeles, California, “Escudero said that if and when he becomes President of the Philippines, he would honor a request by the U.S. government to extradite” Mrs. Arroyo and her subordinates “who may be indicted with her in an American court.”

In a story written by Los Angeles community activist, Bobby Reyes, Mr. Escudero also told him that “not only will an Escudero Administration agree to the extradition process but also the needed evidence will be made available by the new government to the American prosecutors.”

Mr. Reyes told this reporter that if allegations of Lt. Senior Grade Nancy Gadian check out on the missing 46 million pesos provided by the United States for the Balikatan in 2007 was indeed diverted to the pockets of Arroyo’s generals, this could be a ground to extradite Arroyo’s generals to answer charges before American courts for allegedly stealing American taxpayer’s money. Balikatan is part of the Philippine-U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement.

S enator Escudero made known his views when Mr. Reyes asked the senator from Sorsogon province in an open forum held at a luncheon reception tendered by the Casiguran (Sorsogon) Association of Southern California at the Bahay Kubo restaurant in Los Angeles. Although, Mr. Reyes is from Sorsogon City, he said he was at the reception as a journalist.

Mr. Reyes likened Mrs. Arroyo to Panamanian Dictator Manuel Noriega, who looted his homeland. Noriega was eventually captured, removed from power, detained as a prisoner of war and flown to U.S. after the 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States. Mr. Noriega was tried on eight counts of drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering in April 1992 by the United States court.

General Noriega’s U.S. prison terms ended in September 2007 but pending the outcome of extradition requests by both Panama and France, Noriega remains in U.S. prisons as of May 2009.

Senator Escudero is in Los Angeles as keynote speaker at the Kalayaan Philippine Independence Grand Ball held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles last Saturday.

Mr. Reyes told Senator Escudero that even if Mrs. Arroyo would be elected as a congresswoman, representing her district in Pampanga, she could still be extradited. He cited the extradition to the United States of then incumbent Rep. Mark Jimenez, who was indicted and found guilty in a Florida court and jailed for violation of American campaign-finance laws, money laundering and tax evasion.

Mr. Escudero cited three steps to curb corruption under his administration. 1) use the legislation process and give more teeth to anti-corruption laws; 2) increase the salary of government officials and employes; and 3) file criminal cases against, and penalizing, the crooks.

Senator Escudero is leaving for Manila Sunday night (Monday morning, Manila time). (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net) # # #