MANILA - A militant group on Thursday filed graft and perjury raps against presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo for his failure to declare several of his assets including a multimillion-peso home in the United States.

In a seven-page complaint-affidavit filed before the before the Office of the Ombudsman, Courage president Ferdinand R. Gaite, first vice president Rosario Deblois, second VP Rosalinda Nartates, NCR-secretary general Soledad Belvis, and coordinators Mercy Catalan and Roman Mamolo asked the anti-graft body to investigate Arroyo for alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Courage stands for Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage).

A VERA Files report earlier revealed that Arroyo failed to disclose in his 2007 and 2008 statement of assets, liabilities and networth (SALN) his ownership of a $1.32 million (P63.7 million) beachfront property in San Francisco Bay, California he reportedly acquired in 2006.
 
Courage asked the Ombudsman to compel Arroyo to explain how his networth "suddenly ballooned to a staggering P61.8 million in 2005" from zero in his first year in public office.
 
The group said Arroyo could be held liable for graft simply based on his admission that he accepted millions in wedding gifts and campaign contributions, which helped pad his assets from only P76.9 million in 2005 to P99.2 million in 2008.  Arroyo had earlier admitted in a GMA-7 morning show that wedding gifts and campaign contributions partially accounted for his increase in wealth.

“Let’s put it this way. Alam nyo kasi, syempre’y unang-una, kinasal tayo. Medyo nagkaroon tayo ng maraming regalo.Tapos pag kampanya, eh syempre, kahit paano, maraming tumutulong sa atin," he said in the "Unang Hirit" segment.
 
Courage claimed the lawmaker’s voluntary admission proves that he violated the Omnibus Election Code, particularly Article XI Section 95, which prohibits acceptance of electoral contributions from financial institutions, employees of the Civil Service and the Armed Forces, and foreigners, among others.
 
Gaite said the Ombudsman should conduct a motu proprio investigation into possible criminal indictments against Arroyo with the evidence already out in the open.
  
“While government employees religiously filed in their SALN the last centavo of their properties, a simple discrepancy or even oversight could lead to an immediate investigation or in some cases the conduct of a lifestyle check. A case of perjury or even graft because of unexplained wealth could be an instant remedy,” Courage said in its complaint.
 
Retired Assistant Ombudsman Jose de Jesus, meanwhile, said the Ombudsman's Field Investigation Office is already investigating Arroyo a week ago after reports on his SALN first came out. This was confirmed by Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni who said initial inquiries were made based on an anonymous complaint filed online to the Ombudsman website.