They were Gloria Arroyo’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, former chairman of the Commission on Elections Benjamin Abalos, and Leandro Mendoza, former secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications.
During the Senate hearings on the controversial deal, there were several names mentioned who have allegedly participated in the attempt to con the Filipino people of P14.8 BILLION (peso equivalent of $329 million, the cost of the project at the exchange rate of P45 to US1).
Those that I remember were Ruben Reyes, Leo San Miguel, General Quirino de la Torre, Jimmy Paz, and former Arroyo Spokesman and Environment Secretary Mike Defensor,
Reyes never appeared in the Senate. He allegedly has strong connections with the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. His name surfaced in the cheating in the 2004 elections and in the Northrail project. He was known as a Mike Arroyo operator but some sources said he was actually an associate of Gloria Arroyo’s brother, Diosdado “Buboy” Macapagal, Jr, who is now based in Canada.
One of the witnesses mentioned by the Ombudsman in the information filed with Sandiganbayan is Dante Madriaga, the engineer who served as technical consultant in the NBN/ZTE deal.
Madriaga appeared in the Senate and here are excerpts from his testimony submitted to the Blue Ribbon Committee which mentioned the role played by Reyes and San Miguel:
“June 2006 – Ruben Reyes, Leo San Miguel, Gen. de la Torre, Stephen Lai, Yu Yong, Fan Yang meet on June 16 at the Makati Shangri-La in a private environment to discuss the NBN project. They were later joined by Chairman Abalos who left first. We start the design work but are hindered by cost constrains. There is no possible way to achieve the $130M Arescom budget with the commissions that were needed. They decide to increase it to $190M and later added some more components to make it $262M.
“Same group meet on June 18 with the addition of Secretary Mike Defensor and Abalos Chief Of Staff Paz and without Stephen Lai meet in Wack-Wack to discuss details on the commissions.
“August 2006 – On August 11, group goes to China and demand an advance payment upon orders from the boss ostensibly to facilitate the approval and for PR. Chairman Abalos leaves first over the weekend. They get it after mentioning the name of the FG. Ruben Reyes is designated as the recipient.
“Group comes back from China on August 15 and meets again with Chairman Abalos to tell of their success. US$ 1M was doled out , Ruben Reyes was designated as the recipient.
“Design is changed again trying to fit the commitments. ZTE and group argue on the profit margins, they finally decide on September 28 that the increasing the project amount to $270M will give them a margin of $70M each.
“October 2006 – The name Joey de Venecia suddenly comes into play and makes the group worried. He wants the same project but on a BOT scheme and is adamant about it, he had the idea long before Arescom and ZTE conceptualized it in fact the whole idea the Arescom proposal came from Joey.
“Leo San Miguel is tasked to fix the problem since he personally knows Joey. The negotiations do not progress because of Joey’s distrust for the group. Group meets at Wack-Wack on October 11 and decides to ask the FG for help on how to handle Joey.
“Ruben Reyes, Chairman Abalos and General De La Torre fly to China on October 14 and discuss the problem with the ZTE officials about Joey. ZTE is alarmed but is reassured that everything will be taken care of with the intervention of the FG.
“December 2006 –In a meeting in Wack-Wack in December 5, FG and Abalos try to convince Joey to just partner with them and quit his objection. In the meeting at Wack Wack FG threatens Joey by telling him to back off and stay out of the project.
“March 2007 -Help finally comes on March 8 in the person of Ricky Razon who helps them secure the approval of PGMA in order to meet the deadline for final NEDA approval by the executive.
“Group meets on March 12 in Wack- Wack with Yu Yong and Fan Yang but could not agree on how to handle the compensation for Razon. They finally expand the proposed coverage to increase the amount to $329 thereby solving their problem.
“Joey is furious when the NBN proposal is approved and threatens to expose all the dealings that stopped his much superior proposal. Group does not appear to be worried and thinks it is just sour griping. Upon approval by the NEDA group meets on March 28 in Wack Wack with ZTE and demand another cash advance which they got. Ruben Reyes is the designated recipient again.US$10M is again doled out.
“April 2006 -Group meets again in Makati Shangri-La on April 4 with Yu Yong and Fan Yang of ZTE to discuss ways of getting upfront money to finance partly the elections and some personal needs. Ruben Reyes is again designated as the recipient.US$ 30M is again doled out.
“Yu Yong agrees but on the condition that PGMA be present at the signing. PGMA promptly goes to China to witness the signing.
“FG cannot participate since he is hospitalized and Abalos is busy with the elections. Ruben Reyes takes over all of the negotiations and transfer of funds.
“Upon arrival from China on April 27, Secretary Mendoza and Secretary Favila visit the FG and inform him of the good news.”
Will Ruben Reyes, Leo San Miguel and others be made accountable for their role in this onerous deal?
Related links:
http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2008/02/06/the-madriaga-file/
http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2008/02/27/arroyos-30-million-witness-fee/
Ruben Reyes, Leo San Miguel, General Quirino de la Torre, Jimmy Paz, and former Arroyo Spokesman and Environment Secretary Mike Defensor.
Mga operators ni Pidal na ito ay malinaw ang roles sa illegal NBN/ZTE deal based on the Senate’s probe, bakit kaya sila nakaligtaan? Walang dapat isakripisyo, isama sila sa kaso!
Si Buboy Macapagal ay tumakbo na pala sa Canada. Si Iggy naman ay hindi na babalik at sa London na titira. Ang swirti nila! Hindi lang naswertihan ni big Mike at tiny Gloria!
# 1, totoo, sang-ayun ako sa mga sinasabi mo..dapat, lahat sila ay kadamay sa “plunder” na charge, dahil sangkot sila, mga accomplice, at nilito pa ang NBN-ZTE Investigation, na kamuntik nang maging ” abo ” mawalang parang bula si, Jun Lozada. Mabuti magaling siyang lituhin ang “communication system “, na di kaya ng grupo ni GMA and company…Buhay nga naman, mayroong “bwenas” mayroon ding mga “malas”. Let justice prevails !.
I think the government should focus just on the head for now. And once hydra is convicted, pede naman ata balikan at kasuhan yung mga foot soldiers.
Remember, GMA and Mike are no ordinary thinkers. Besides, its harder to prove etong mga 2nd tier that it is to for former President, the husband, and Mr. Burjer.
Eat what we can only digest for now. But thank you Ellen for reminding us there are more than just the head.
kapag ganyang napakabilis nga nilang maghabol subalit ang hakbang ay paatras, wala silang mararating. hinawakan nga nila sa leeg si goyang, ang hawak ay napakaluwag naman, wala rin. para silang humihimas sa pigsang hinog na hindi nila gustong pumutok!
“…….Reyes never appeared in the Senate. He is allegedly with the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines….”
ganu’n lang?
ni hindi nila nagawang padalhan ng “imbitasyon” upang humarap sa senate inquiry?
Mags, dapat damputin nila si Reyes kasi his name appeared in all major illegal transactions of the pig and the biaaaatch!
Ito ang isa sa mga hinihintay ng taong bayan. Unahin muna si Ginang Macapagal-Arroyo at isunod na ang lahat na kasabwat niya lalong-lalo na si Mike Defensor na ang pagiisip noong panahon ng dating pamahalaan ni Macapagal-Arroyo ay isa siya sa pinakamapangyarihan sa bansa. Nalimutan na ba natin noong “kunin” niya si Mahusay ?
pagsabaysabayin na nila ang paglilitis kay goyang at ang impeachment ni corona subalit huwag silang mangiming gamitan ng ultimong hakbang ang paggisa sa dalawang ‘yan.
napakaraming ebidensiyang lumulutang at samantalahin nilang marami din ang mga testigong hindi natatakot patunayan ang pagkakasangkot ng mang-aagaw na sinungaling na magnanakaw na babae sa kabikabilang katiwalian noong siya ang nagrereyna sa malakanyang na imposibleng hindi alam ng kanyang mga pinagkakatiwalaan katulad nitong si renato corona.
kailangang umusad hindi lang ang gulong ng hustisya pati na rin ang kampay ng pakpak ng katarungang halos sampung taong ginapos ng kasibaan ang magkakakamping mga limatik at salot sa lipunang namayani sa pinakamadilim na kasaysayan ng pilipinas!
PeNoy, kiiiiiilooooosssssss!!!!!
baka mainip ang iyong mga bossing!
sa pag-impeach kay corona ay tiyakin nilang batay sa matitibay na ebidensiya sapagkat kapag nawala sa SC ang kababayang ‘yan ni anna ay tapos na rin ang maliligayang araw ni goyang subalit kapag sumablay ang mga ipinagmamalaki ni PeNoy, asahan na ang tuluyang pagkaabsuwelto ng bruha!
otc, korapsyon din. Hanep, kaya pala hindi nagpa-file ng SALN ang Corona ni Gloria e hindi nya ma-justify ang kayamanan!
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Corona urged to explain P14.5M condo
by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 01/03/2012 7:23 PM | Updated as of 01/03/2012 7:23 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Chief House prosecutor Niel Tupas on Tuesday showed media a deed of sale and and 2 condominium certificates of title to prove that spouses Renato and Cristina Corona purchased a 300-square-meter condo at The Bellagio in Fort Bonifacio, Global City in 2009 for P14.5 million.
The condo is believed to now cost P30 million.
Tupas is urging the impeached Chief Justice to reveal his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net (SALN) worth to prove he declared the multimillion-peso property.
One of the impeachment charges against Corona is his alleged failure to disclose his SALN.
Ganda ng condo! No wonder he did not have any qualms about being CJ when everybody seems to be frowning on it.
Money makes the world go round, the world go round, the world go round.
Corona’s defense was that he has diligently and yearly submitted his SALN but it is kept by the SC for safety reasons daw. (There was previous and own court’s enbanc ruling on this).
Tupas claim is that the Condo should appear in the 2009 or 2010 SALN.
(1) Assuming Corona did not have those, then what case is he liable? Wouldn’t Corona do the Junior Arroyo routine and said he simply needs to do an addendum?
(2) Assuming Corona did have those in the SALN (since “nasa SC daw” baka pede ma marevise nila), then the question is what is he liable?
Following Mikey Arroyo’s SALN fiasco, of which nothing came about it EXCEPT tax evasion.
It really disgusting na obvious naman the money is not coming from their legitimate work (same as with Junior Arroyo’s case). Short of saying lagay or galing sa illegal mga ito, nakakahiya naman si Corona to know he can afford say even a 15M unit and not explain how he got it.
Speechless si very speechful Marquez in this case and instead said sa impeachment court na lang magkita. But wait, didn’t the same camp also said, the impeachment court was a mockery of our democrazy, and an attack on the SC and her independence?
These very act of inconsistency and lack of delicadeza is the reason why Corona should go.
His continued stay not only puts shame to the court system but also distrust. The destruction of democrazy is caused by his claim for innocence when he does not want to be put on trial.
(PS – his wife made a response pala dun sa mga accusations against her. Nagtaas pa sya ng sariling bangko! See here: opinion.inquirer.net/19375/%E2%80%98rehashed-make-believe-suit%E2%80%99)
Indeed a shame to see supposedly the head of moral and legal committee doing just the opposite.
ala’y ibang klase din nga ‘yang mag-asawang ‘yan, ey.
ay talagang mga lahi ng masisibang ang lahat ng abot tan-aw ay kanila daw, ey.
punong mahistradong nuno naman pala ng kagarapalan at nagmana ng kasinungalingan mula sa kanyang partonang magnanakaw!
yang Si Leo San Miguel ay in charge sa security ng Mapayapa Village 2 ngayon, sobrang abusado yan at talagang madami na kuha kay gma naka porshe yan na pinagyayabang niya, itanong nyo sa mga homeowners ng village at karatig village kung gaano kabastos yang taong yan at pinagyayabang ang connection nya,
taga mapayapa village 2 barangay holy spirit yan adelfa st. kung nagsasabi talga yan ng totoo sa hearing di dapat yan ganun kabastos,i live from the village beside mapayapa2 at grabe reklamo ng mga tao dyan. sana maibestigahan yan ulit demonyo yan