Archers set 8 RP records

EDITORIAL

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09/27/2007

Pressured from all fronts in coming clean with the Chinese ZTE national broadband project that is marred with massive corruption, Gloria Arroyo tried the tack of suddenly allowing all her Cabinet secretaries to attend the Senate hearings, hoping perhaps that public interest in the issue would wane quickly.

When this didn’t work, she ordered the suspension of the ZTE contract, which didn’t work either, as the suspension was a superfluity, given the fact that the Supreme Court had already caused its suspension when the tribunal issued a temporary restraining order.

Then, with now Commission on Higher Education Chairman and former Neda chief Romulo Neri tapped by the Senate to testify before its panels saying he would honor the invitation, Gloria suddenly had Neri included in her delegation to the United States for the United Nations Assembly, on the very lame excuse that it would be Neri who could best explain the Philippine stand on the millenium challenge issue.

Flak greeted that presidential decision to get Neri to travel with her, and Gloria backed off, saying Neri has been allowed to testify before the Senate and would no longer be part of her delegation.

Perhaps knowing that she won’t be able to stave off Neri’s testimony, Gloria, in a move to preempt Neri’s testimony at the Senate, suddenly announced that she had conducted a “discreet” investigation of the bribery related to the ZTE contract and found that this allegation is uncorroborated.

Yet no one in the Palace, no one among her aides, not even Neri himself who broached the bribery, knew about the claimed discreet probe Gloria had conducted and were completely clueless about it. They couldn’t answer simple questions such as who conducted the probe or who were probed.

It was evident that Gloria had announced this “discreet” probe to save her skin and, of course, her husband’s and Abalos, whom she obviously is also protecting. Abalos, after all, does have a lot of secrets — especially poll secrets, one of which ensured the fraudulent victory of Gloria in 2004.

Even worse, that self-serving announcement of a probe by Gloria didn’t fly at all, given the fact that she has absolutely no shred of credibility.

Was there ever a probe done, and if there was, why did Gloria claim that the bribery charge was uncorroborated when this has been corroborated by at least two individuals?

Joey de Venecia III had come out under oath to state that Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. had offered him $10 million to withdraw his bid for the broadband project.

Neri had been quoted in the media stating that he was offered P200 million to approve the ZTE contract even if he did not quite name Abalos, and even Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. claimed during a recent TV interview that Mrs. Arroyo certainly knew the Comelec chief was involved in the ZTE contract, this apart from the disclosure of the Speaker’s son of the First Gentleman’s involvement in the ZTE contract, when he pointed the finger at Joey and told him to back off from the deal.

The question is, since Gloria was aware of the fact that Abalos was neck deep into the ZTE contract, why did she have this approved, knowing that there was already that big anomaly given that Abalos had absolutely no business being involved in such contract? But then again, the contract was okayed at a time when the election campaign season was on, which makes it even more deplorable for Abalos to be involved in such deal.

The other question is, why was the ZTE deal approved but not under the legal conditions — such as the no government money or loan out for such a project — imposed earlier?

All fingers point to a stinking deal which involves not only Abalos and presidential spouse Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, but even Gloria Arroyo herself.

The fates are certainly working against her, but Neri isn’t talking, either.

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