Mike Arroyo back, says project with Japan investors failed

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, the husband of detained former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo returned to the country Thursday night from Hong Kong. 

Mr. Arroyo arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City at 6:30 p.m. on board Cathay Pacific flight CX-903. 

He told reporters waiting at the airport's arrival lobby that he was disappointed with his trip to Japan because his supposed transaction with Japanese investors for a power generation project in Mindanao did not materialize. 

"Ewan ko, bigla na lang silang nawalan ng interes sa proyekto na sana ay makatutulong sa paglutas ng energy problem sa Mindanao [I don't know but they suddenly lost interest in the project that was supposed to help solve the energy problem in Mindanao]," he said. 

The former first gentleman quietly left for Japan last May 3 after the Sandiganbayan allowed him to travel to the country from May 3 to 10 to meet with prospective investors. 

A hold departure order was earlier issued against the Arroyo couple after they were linked to the allegedly anomalous $329-million National Broadband Network project with China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Corp., which was later scrapped by Mrs. Arroyo. 

On Thursday, Mr. Arroyo said that he would proceed to Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where his wife has been placed on hospital arrest since December 9, 2011 after a Pasay City court issued her an arrest warrant for alleged electoral sabotage. 

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