THE President?s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, yesterday described as ?garbage? claims he is a member of a cartel that controls government road projects.

A news story claimed the World Bank had named him as one of two ?public figures? who had participated in rigging bids for road construction projects, but he said his critics were spreading lies to ?prop up their obviously hopeless presidential or political ambitions.?

?This is garbage. I have never been part of any cartel,? he said in a statement read by his lawyer.

?That newspaper daily alludes to the still unseen World Bank report to justify its conclusion. This is also garbage.

?From what I have read, the World Bank continues to deny that there is any direct evidence linking me to this scandal.

Mr. Arroyo said the witnesses quoted in the alleged excerpts of the World Bank report had merely believed he was involved.

?This is worse than hearsay. Feelings are never evidence; they are never admissible,? he said.

?Obviously, there is no direct evidence of that involvement because there is no such involvement.?

The President?s husband also criticized a plan by the Senate?s Blue Ribbon committee to launch a second investigation into the World Bank allegations.

?This is shocking to me as a lawyer because it smells too much of forum shopping,? he said. Ferdinand Fabella and Roy Pelovello