Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Senate move ‘meant to divert attention’ from Meralco issues
REP. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) believes that the move of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee to invite a new witness to the controversial $329 million national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE deal is meant to divert public attention from the issue of mismanagement by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
Garcia also lashed out at Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico, who provided photos showing President Arroyo and ZTE officials in a golf game in Shenzhen, China in Nov. 2006.
No direct link
“These are all suspicions. I think the Senate Blue Ribbon already came out with its report that there is no direct link to the President. They are trying to resuscitate the issue. People are tired of it,” Garcia said.
But in a text message sent to Sun.Star Cebu yesterday, Suplico said, “It’s unfortunate that (Rep.) Garcia was not yet a congressman when I was in the House of Representatives.”
Suplico was a congressman of Iloilo’s fifth district from 1998 to 2007, before he was elected vice governor.
Suplico said he and former Rep. Jacinto Paras (Negros Oriental, 1st district) even called for the privatization of Meralco.
Suplico said he also called for an investigation on the alleged anomalies of the Government Service Insurance System, which is headed by Garcia’s elder brother, Winston.
But Suplico said he never advocated that GSIS run Meralco.
“That would have been a classic case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire,” he said.
Last Monday, Suplico said the new witness in the case is missing.
Suplico said the witness, codenamed “Alex,” could not be contacted through an intermediary. He said “Alex” feared for his life. He had told Suplico earlier that suspicious-looking men had been seen around his neighborhood asking about his identity.
It was Alex who provided Suplico photos showing President Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo with officials of ZTE Corp. in a golf game in China sometime in November 2006, when the broadband deal was aborted.
Garcia also questioned Suplico’s move of bringing up the issue and releasing photo of Arroyo and ZTE officials to the media.
“We all know that the Lopezes, who own Meralco, are from Iloilo,” said Garcia.
Suplico disagreed.
“The only thing common between the Lopezes and me is that we both are Ilonggos. That is not enough basis to conclude that I am acting in behalf of the Lopezes,” said Suplico.
‘Diversionary’
Admitting that the Meralco issue is also a legitimate topic, Suplico said the rice crisis issue was also a “diversionary tactic” away from the scandalous P16 billion ZTE-NBN deal.
Garcia said the committee already came out with its report clearing the President of liability in the ZTE controversy.
“It’s plain and simple politicking, diversionary tactics to divert the public’s attention from a bigger issue that faces the country, such as the high cost of electricity,” said Garcia. (GMD)
