|
Monday, February 25, 2008
Arroyo: NBN deal probe won't spare friend, foe
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said neither friends nor foes would be spared from being held accountable for alleged irregularities in a cancelled telecommunications contract with a Chinese firm.
Arroyo, in her Edsa People Power I message, reiterated that her government is committed to fighting corruption and these alleged irregularities in the national broadband network (NBN) shall not be an exemption.
Post here your Valentine's Day greetings
"We will hold officials accountable if they are found to be corrupt whoever gets hurt, as investigations are concluded and friends and foes alike are brought into account for their actions in the proper courts. No one is above the law," she added.
The President said the moment she learned of the alleged irregularities in the contract with China's state company Zhong Xing (ZTE) Corp. to undertake the NBN project, she moved to cancel it which was realized after coordination with the Chinese government.
"The executive secretary at the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government were also informed of the alleged bribery attempt," she said.
She said her administration is against red tape, which is why she has increased the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman as a way of strengthening its campaign against graft and corruption.
She said her government is also working with the House of Representatives under the new leadership of Speaker Prospero Nograles to draw up an anti-corruption reform law that aims to impose stiffer penalties on those engaged in corruption.
Arroyo said it is sad that as she continues to work and focus on governance, several baseless allegations and rumors that are not even backed by evidence or any proof continue to surface.
She admitted working with some Cabinet members even beyond midnight, even if she sometimes starts her work very early.
The President said she remains in charge and she alone decides on policies, not those who are not in power.
She also defended her family, stressing that none of them are engaged or involved in any government transactions or dealing.
Resigned Philippine Forest Corp. chief executive officer Rodolfo Lozada Jr., the key witness in the Senate hearing on the questionable NBN deal, earlier dragged First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo to the controversy claiming that he had been mentioned by former election chairman Benajmin Abalos Sr. when insisting that the NBN deal be undertaken through a government to government deal with China's state company ZTE Corp.
"My family has never been transacting business in government," Arroyo said, adding that she would no longer substantiate allegations that her administration is the most corrupt in the country's history.
"We will fight for the economy, education, the environment. We will work to fix the corruption that still plagues our nation," she said.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said the problem lies in those who try to instigate discontent and call for a change of leadership despite the recent achievements of the government.
The opposition, meanwhile, said President Arroyo cannot escape culpability in the scrapped NBN contract especially with her admission Saturday that she knew of the purported corruption in the deal.
United Opposition (UNO) president and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said Arroyo's belated admission only shows her clumsy and belated attempt to distance herself and her family from the latest scandal to hit the administration.
"As a public official and as the supposed Chief Executive, she is sworn to uphold the law. But by her own admission, she knew about it, but did not lift a finger to stop it because she does want to offend a foreign country," Binay said.
President Arroyo on Saturday admitted she was told about the purported corruption in government's scrapped broadband project with China before the signing of the contract.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the President's defense of herself in the NBN is weak and only betrays her poor sense of judgment and responsibility in preventing irregularities in government projects.
Pimentel said Arroyo, by her act of omission, seemed unmindful of the harm that will be inflicted on the government by such a grossly anomalous deal.
"What GMA (President Arroyo) did or did not do after she learned that something was wrong with the NBN-ZTE deal on the eve of its signing is the smoking gun that links her to the scandal," he said.
"That's also what former socio-planning secretary now Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri doesn't want to supply," he said.
The senator said Arroyo's revelation clearly belies the claim of Neri that he has nothing more to say on the NBN scandal as his justification for repeatedly ignoring the Senate blue ribbon committee's summons for him to return to the witness stand.
He said the President's mishandling of the NBN was first unraveled when Neri, as then director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), reported to her the alleged attempt of Abalos to bribe him with P200 million in exchange for approval of the project.
A leftist congressman believes the President's admission that she approved the anomalous NBN deal to save the country's relationship with China is the best evidence against her.
"By standing witness to a contract that she knew was highly flawed, she shares accountability for the anomaly. In her nullifying the deal after the anomaly was exposed has not erased her accountability," said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Satur Ocampo.
The NBN deal with China was signed as early as April 22, 2007 but it was only canceled on September 22, 2007, a few days after the Supreme Court (SC) suspended the deal amid the controversy.
The President informed Chinese President Hu Jintao of her decision only on October 2, 2007. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (February 25, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
