Gloria's side trip to Venezuela

Now, this is getting to be very, very interesting. You know why Mrs. Arroyo went to Venezuela? There are two (2) versions.

First one, she reportedly met a high profile real estate agent in Cartagena. For what, you might ask? People say that Mrs. Arroyo is trying to buy pieces of real estate properties in Portugal. Last year, when the First Family got entangled with the Lehman Brothers financial mess, and lost substantial monies from the fall, they reportedly uploaded some of their properties in the US to buy properties outside the US. And you know why they don't want to maintain those properties, right? Because of fears that the FBI will actually make good its threat of arresting the First Golfer for alleged money laundering activities.

I doubt this story simply because why the trouble of going to Venezuela just to buy properties when you can do it online or simply ask the agent to visit the Arroyos here or elsewhere. It's a normal business for agents to go to the place where their clients are instead of clients going to them, right?

The second version begs some verification. Wagging tongues say Mrs. Arroyo met with Smartmatic International Armando Yanes and Antonio Mugica. Yanes is Smartmatic International CFO and head of the firm's Strategic Customer, Financing, Mergers and Acquisition. While Mugica serves as CEO. Why? What's the reason for the side trip?

Was it because of a possible business transaction in Panama, South America's version of Switzerland? What was the business transaction all about? To transfer funds, as alleged by UNO spokesperson Jejomar Binay, which the palace denied.

Cerge Remonde, the palace press secretary said Mrs. Arroyo was invited by Misha, the wife of Jaime Zobel de Ayala. If this is the official statement, then, all the more Mrs. Arroyo should be made accountable.

What earth-shaking thing that the Ayalas and the Arroyos discussed that necessitated the entire presidential entourage to make that all important sidetrip to Venezuela? Imagine, at the behest of a businessman, the Philippine president has to use government resources just to accommodate it? Was it just a leisure side trip? I doubt it since if that is true, the Arroyos and the Ayalas may have discussed a very important thing to have the entire palace crew go there. And if it was a leisure trip, that was too costly for Mrs. Arroyo to do especially in these times of great financial distress.

Mrs. Arroyo and Mr. Remonde have lots of explaining to do.