MANILA, June 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Philippine presidential palace Monday welcomed the decision by the son of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo to have an indefinite leave from the Congress during investigation of his involvement in the illegal gambling business by the Ombudsman.

    Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the absence of Representative Arroyo from Congress would pave the way for an "impartial and transparent" investigation of the "jueteng" illegal gambling scandal involving him and his uncle, Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio Arroyo.

    Ignacio Arroyo has reportedly flown to Singapore for unknown reasons.

    "We laud the decision of Representative Mikey. This should pave the way for an impartial and transparent investigation by the Ombudsman which has been authorized by the President (to investigate the issue)," said Bunye.

    "For too long, rumors, innuendoes, and unsubstantiated allegations have been hurled ostensibly against him but really against the president," he added.

    The two congressmen have been tagged by witnesses during Senatehearings over the past two weeks as among those receiving protection money from the illegal numbers game, locally called jueteng.

    Juan Miguel Arroyo Monday afternoon said he decided to go on indefinite leave "until my name is cleared of any taint on the jueteng issue."

    He said he made the decision on his own so as not to influence the jueteng investigations conducted by the Senate and Congress.

    President Arroyo has ordered the Ombudsman to investigate the allegations, saying that no member of her family is "above the law".

    Several senators have called on the two congressmen of the Arroyo family to quit, because suspicion over their alleged involvement in jueteng has been hurting the president. Enditem