Friday, March 07, 2008
JDV urged to bare knowledge on ‘Spratly deal’ (5:02 p.m.)
MANILA -- An opposition congressman challenged former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to break his silence and disclose the provisions of the controversial “Spratly deal,” saying it is quite impossible that this was pulled off without Malacañang's approval.
Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez said de Venecia must come out and tell everything he knows about the “origins and background” of the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) in the Agreement Area in the South China Sea signed on March 14, 2005.
Golez said the ousted Speaker must shed light on his real role in the “initiation, negotiation and signing of the agreement and who else in the hierarchy of the government had a hand in the agreement.”
“He should explain whether there is truth to the insinuation that there is a link between this agreement and China's soft loan facility of US$2 billion a year for controversial and allegedly overpriced projects like NorthRail, SouthRail, national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE, etc., and that this was actually an exchange deal where part of Philippine patrimony has been exchanged for several juicy, commission from heavy multibillion dollar projects,” he said.
Golez, a fellow of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, said de Venecia must name the Malacañang officials who had a hand in the signing of the agreement which is said to be a sellout on the part of the Philippines. (WV/Sunnex) |
