Thursday, February 07, 2008 Laus's critics 'merely sour graping': Clark official
CLARK FIELD -- A group seeking the ouster of Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President Levy Laus is merely sour graping, according to a reliable source here.
"This group probably is either just trying to get back at Laus for its failure to push through with its personal and selfish agenda in Clark or would want to grab power at Clark to pursue it," a top Clark official who asked not to be named, said.
At the same time, the Clark official described the group as "desperate and reckless" for spreading rumors that Laus has fallen out of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's grace.
"This rumor conveniently invented and circulated by this group is a subterfuge and is very unfair to the President herself as it cast her office in unpleasant light," the source said. "It is at best baseless, imaginative and speculative and at worst belligerent, vicious and malicious," the source added.
Laus, the source said, was chosen by the President not only because he was a loyal friend and ally, but because of his vast experience and strong track record as a businessman, corporate statesman and civic and community leader.
"He took the opportunity to serve at CDC because he felt he could contribute to the President's vision of making Clark an engine of growth and progress in Pampanga and Central Luzon," the source said.
Laus has been recently described by the group, whose movers have kept their identity from the public, of grabbing credit for the growth and development in the Clark Freeport Zone.
"That is farthest from the truth," the source said, adding "Laus has always given the credit where it is due, from the President of the Republic to the lowest-ranking employee of CDC."
"The real issue, perhaps, should be that there's lot of credit to be grabbed in Clark now," the source added.
Last January 14, Laus cited President Arroyo and other officials for the six-point gains achieved in the Freeport, particularly the growth in investments by 400 percent last year.
"Ultimately, the credit for the remarkable performance of Clark Freeport goes to the President because of her strong support for Clark and because of the phenomenal performance of the economy through her major economic reforms and policies," Laus said.
Laus also commended Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan, Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid, former senator Ralph Recto and other national and local officials, members of the Clark Locators and Investors Association, directors, officers and employees of CDC and the Clark International Airport Corp. for the transformation of Clark into a prime global investment and tourism destination.
In addition to the huge spike in investments, Laus said the other gains in Clark include its conversion from a special economic zone to a Freeport zone, the entry of Texas Instrument, one of the world's leading semi-conductor manufacturer, the construction of an interchange for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Clark, the joint management agreement signed with the Aeta tribes for the development of their ancestral land in the sub-zone area and the "rebranding" of Clark as world-class investment and tourism destination.
