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Sunday, February 10, 2008
Palace: Senators use NBN mess for 'unrest'
MANILA -- Malacañang accused opposition Senators Saturday of using the US$329 million broadband deal mess to stir up "unrest in the police and military."
Deputy Presidential spokesman Anthony Golez Jr. belied reports that the funding for the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China firm ZTE Corp. would be at the expense of housing for policemen and soldiers.
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"A check by Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo showed there was never a document or meeting that showed the money for the ZTE deal would come from housing for police and military personnel. There is some sort of incitement to anger the police and the military," said Golez.
Earlier, opposition Senators cited documents showing funding for the NBN project would come from a US$1.8-billion loan package from China.
The loan had initially included a housing project for police and military personnel and the rehabilitation of the Angat watershed.
"Saludo is the one keeping the documents. There is no project that was accommodated in exchange for withdrawing funding from the police-military housing," Golez said.
When asked if the Senators' claims were meant to stir up unrest, he said: "Yes."
"If we don't tell the truth about it, the public will be misled. It's good that Saludo researched quickly and found the claim was not true," said Golez.
In the meantime, he said the Cabinet continues to perform normally despite the NBN-ZTE mess. "All Cabinet members continue to do their job," he added.
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales also said there is no real movement of the people to bring down the present administration after the revelations last Friday of Rodolfo Lozado Jr., the NBN witness.
"Ilang taon na may nagrarally (how many years have past, there has been rallies already), but they only number 50, 150," Gonzalez said.
Lozada in a Senate inquiry last Friday linked First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo and resigned Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. to the NBN controversy. (JMR/Sunnex/With CPM of Sun.Star Davao)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 10, 2008 issue)
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