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Thursday, May 15, 2008
Palace: Arroyo met ZTE officials in China
MANILA –- Malacañang said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met with ZTE officials in Shenzen, China on November 2, 2006 but said the activity was not a secret.
“I don't know who the ZTE officials are but the President indeed was there on that date. It was a private activity in the sense that it was a golf game. She was there but it was a social activity by the President. That's not being denied,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
“How can you keep an activity a secret? When a President leaves a country, everyone should know. Imagine how big her entourage is,” Ermita asked.
A check on President Arroyo's past trips showed that she was in China on October 27 to November 1, 2006 for the China-Asean Summit and in Hong Kong on November 1 to 3, 2006. However, the Hong Kong trip, which includes a visit to Disneyland and where Arroyo went back to China, was considered a private affair.
According to Ermita, the first thing that came to his mind when he saw the headline about the Arroyo couple's golf game in Shenzen was that it could be part of efforts to divert the public's attention from the Meralco (Manila Electric Company) issue.
He said he does not know if Arroyo proceeded to the ZTE headquarters but his information is that she played golf and was treated to lunch.
“Should we all question the meetings of President Arroyo with Hanjin, Teletech? Somebody just put color in it because it is very high on the totem pole of the issues of 2007,” he said.
Ermita said the President was aware at that time that the broadband project was forthcoming, but it was “improbable” that the subject matter was taken up during the “social lunch” in Shenzen.
He added that the project was “never perfected” because it was canceled.
Former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former election chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. were also present with the First Couple during the said golf game in China. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (May 15, 2008 issue)
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