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Sunday, September 30, 2007
China monitors bribe probe on broadband deal
MANILA -- China is closely watching investigations into alleged bribery in a government broadband contract won by a Chinese company, a diplomat said Saturday.
The Catholic Church on the other hand demanded that all those involved in the controversial $329 million national broadband network (NBN) project be penalized.
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"We are taking a close watch on the recent developments in the Philippines regarding this (broadband) project," said Liang Wentao, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
"We believe that if the Filipino government, in compliance with their own domestic laws and regulations, decides to conduct investigations on certain projects contracted by foreign companies, it's their own decision," he said.
He said corruption allegations connected to the deal "are pure domestic issues of the Philippines."
Charges of bribery and irregularities in the NBN project with a supply contract with ZTE Corp., of China stemmed from allegations made businessman Joey de Venecia, founder of a losing bidder, Amsterdam Holdings Inc., that Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. offered him US$10 million (euro7.08 million) to withdraw his own broadband proposal.
Abalos has denied the allegations and said he will not step down.
An impeachment complaint against Abalos was filed before the House of Representatives after the Senate hearing last Wednesday where former socioeconomic secretary Romulo Neri said Abalos offered him P200 million to endorse ZTE’s bid for a broadband network.
The broadband project was to be funded with a US$330 million (euro235 million) preferential loan from China.
Despite suspension of the project ordered by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Philippine Supreme Court, Liang said economic and trade cooperation between the Philippines and China will not be affected.
"In China, we believe that a friend in need is a friend indeed," he told reporters in a hastily called press conference to highlight growing commercial ties between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations 32 years ago.
He said China has offered US$1.8 billion (euro1.27 billion) in preferential buyer's credits to the Philippines, making it the largest recipient of such loans from China.
The Catholic Church on the other hand asserted that all those who were named and implicated in the anomalous deal must not be spared from the punishments so the country could finally achieve the needed reforms.
“Anyone who has a responsibility to the public must be accountable to the public. It must not be selective,” said Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
Rosales issued this statement in reaction to the impeachment complaint filed against Abalos, who was accused by businessman Joey of brokering the ZTE deal.
“From the highest (government official) to the lowest…even down to the barangay captain (if found guilty must be penalized). Do not be selective anymore,” he lamented.
Asked if impeaching Abalos would be the best solution, Cardinal Rosales said: “I do not know because investigations being conducted by the lawmakers do not prosper.”
The Catholic Church has been endorsing certain reforms in government in order to finally achieve peace and stability in government.
Meanwhile, Malacanang has urged the public to wait for the results of the Senate investigation and the case in the Supreme Court involving the NBN project instead of speculating results.
Presidential Management Staff director general Cerge Remonde made the reaction to Senator Manuel Roxas II earlier statement saying President Arroyo maybe accountable after authorizing negotiations for the award of the NBN to ZTE ahead of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) evaluation of the project.
"Mahirap magsalita ng tapos sa mga bagay na iyan. Intayin na lang natin iyung investgasyon na ginawa ng Senado, iyuung kaso na nasa Korte Suprema (It’s difficult to issue statements on this yet. Let’s wait for the investigation at the senate and the case at the Supreme Court)," he said.
Remonde said it is ironic that while former president Bill Clinton, Arroyo's classmate at Georgetown University, and international media and business groups in New York are acknowledging the President for managing the economy well, she is being treated unkindly and heavily criticized by those who are in the Philippines.
Remonde also denied reports that Neri would no longer get his old post at Neda after Arroyo appointed an acting director for the agency.
He said a lot of people would like to inject color or politics on the reappointment of deputy director Augusto Santos as acting director general of Neda who was initially named as officer-in-charge when Neri was transferred to the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
Neri was supposed to stay in Ched for just six months and return to Neda after that. However Santos was reappointed no longer as officer in charge but as acting head of Neda.
Remonde explained that the acting director title was given to Santos instead of an OIC in order to give him authority to run the agency like signing important matters.
He said the acting director general title is necessary to ensure the continued functioning of office and the delivery of service.
Remonde added that this development does not signal any cabinet revamp.(JMR/AP/Sunnex) For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (September 30, 2007 issue)
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