Skip to content

Gloria Arroyo’s complicity

The past days, Malacañang has been on overdrive trying to prevent the stink of the ZTE national broadband deal from reaching Gloria Arroyo.

Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc believes that Malacañang’s suspension, not cancellation, of the controversial ZTE NBN contract, was a “calculated move to dissuade former NEDA director Romulo Neri from testifying when the Senate Blue Ribbon committee resumes its investigation on Wednesday.

Reports have it that Neri told Gloria Arroyo about the P200 million bribe attempt by Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos.

A Newsbreak account said: “When Neri informed President Arroyo about the bribery attempt, she supposedly asked him, ‘What did you do?’ Learning that Neri refused the offer, Ms. Arroyo allegedly said that he can forget the money but he should just go ahead and approve the contract.”

As director of the National Economic and Development Authority, Neri heads the Investment Coordination Committee, which evaluates and recommends action on all foreign- funded projects. Based on the ICC recommendation, the NEDA Board composed of all cabinet members and headed by the president, decided on the project.

Soon after Neri told Arroyo about Abalos’ bribe offer, he was removed from NEDA and transferred to the Commission on Higher Education where his qualification is being questioned because he lacks a doctorate.

Neri’s testimony, if he will testify and tell the truth, nothing but the truth, will merely confirm what everybody believes: Gloria Arroyo’s dirty hand in P16 billion scam.

It has been reported that Neri is under heavy guard. Is the heavy security to make sure that he testifies before the Senate or the other way around?

But if Neri fails to show up in the Senate, the more that the people will believe Arroyo’s involvement in the deal, which has already dragged the name of her husband, Mike Arroyo.

It’s also possible that Neri shows up in the Senate on Wednesday and declines to confirm the reported conversation with Arroyo.

But at this point, the public has already concluded that the stinking deal would not have been possible without the approval of Arroyo. Reports of multi-million dollar kickbacks and the involvement of her Comelec chair had been hugging the headlines the past weeks and as late as last week, she was still pushing for the deal covered by an agreement she personally witnessed last April 1 in Boao, China.

Arroyo cannot feign ignorance about the role of Abalos in the ZTE deal because as Joey de Venecia, president of Amsterdam Holdings, Inc, the losing bidder in this project, related, Arroyo even told the Comelec chair, while playing golf with ZTE officials in Senzhen, China in October 2006, to revise their offer and make it similar to the one offered by AHI which did not require government expense.

The younger de Venecia said this was related to him by his father, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, who was in that power golf game.

A number of senators, including the administration’s Joker Arroyo are calling for the cancellation of the deal. It’s another calculated move to protect Arroyo.

Arroyo’s involvement in the deal, however, is much, much bigger that the multi-million dollar commissions that were allegedly advanced by ZTE officials. Her accountability here is allowing Abalos, whose job is to make sure that elections are conducted peacefully and credibly, to be involved in a telecommunications deal.

Joey de Venecia said Abalos told him that he wanted the ZTE deal very badly because he planned to go into the lucrative telecommunication business upon his retirement in February 2008.

Abalos had come collecting for the great favor he did Gloria Arroyo in the 2004 elections which was making her president even if she did not win. Arroyo had no recourse but to pay. That was the grandmother of all deals.

Published inMalaya

38 Comments

  1. pechanco pechanco

    So, all these now depend on what Neri would say in the hearing. If he collaborates Joey de Venecia’s statements, then the case is closed. GMA’s time is not only up. She and her corrupt family must now be held accountable for all the sins and crimes they committed. Panahon na…matagal na…ngayon na!

  2. Unbelievable! The gargantuan shamelessness of these bogus officials – doing private business out of a supposedly, purely government contract.

    Abalos, the election chief is fixing a deal with the Chinese to loot the Philippine treasury via DoTC so many handreds of millions of dollars? I’m gobsmacked and really couldn’t quite believe how blatantly they all in that lil group talk about private business while seeking to break the law… Gloria, Mendoza, Abalos, JdV, aided and abetted by Favila, Teves and Neri plus Formoso and their chiefs of staff.

    How could they dare claim moral high groung? How despicable that Gloria should even appear in a news photo praying at mass! She probably is praying that she won’t get caught!

  3. pechanco pechanco

    You heard what Joey de Venecia said. Abalos frankly told Joey that he (Abalos) wanted to have a comfortable retirement. Makapal talaga ang mukha ng walanghiya!

  4. pechanco pechanco

    There’s a report that this Impakta of the Palace is again making a trip to China soon to borrow money to funds the RP projects. Walang delicadeza. Makapal ang mukha. Hindi pa nga lumamig ang issue sa ZTE deal at eto na naman uutang sa China.

  5. martina martina

    Kahit ma-cancel ang broadband deal, puwedeng i-connect pa rin sa hello Garci case, dahil iyong b/b deal ang isa sa bayad ni Glue kay Abaloslos sa pandaraya niyang ginawa sa election para lamang manalo ang buruha.

    Nagdarasal siya kay kapartner niyang si l….er, wala namang Diyos iyan, eh. Dahil kung mayroon, mayroon sana siyang hiya at konsyensiya.

  6. Gloria Dorobo actually just wants to save her hide even for allowing her husband to be in the picture even when he usually just do the initial offering of the project to those willing to answer to their beck and calls, and have them do the dirty jobs for them that I bet Joey’s father must have done for them on many occasions. Joey apparently was not like his father, and boom, nabisto tuloy!

    This is supposed to be a government to government project with China providing the loan with probably another island as collateral I am not sure, or another tricky scheme that affects even other financial deals the Philippines has with other countries like Japan and reason why people here fret, but the deal with any private firms like ZTE cannot be done without a bidding, and Joey dV, I guess was supposed to be the other bidder?

    Now, since Joey dV must be used to such public bidding, and despite his being a shrewd bidder, the guy wanted things done in accordance with some normal and legal process to avoid litigation later, things in fact he must have learned and mastered in one or two US universities despite the marijuana and all to keep him awake maybe during rigorous reviews for some difficult school exams. He could not agree to anything he knew was definitely foul and illegal.

    Fortunately, may isa pang katulad ni Ellen who can no longer tolerate this babuyan, and wrote about what he must have gathered from the grapevines if he was not directly approached by the angry Joey to write about it.

    Used though he was to such graft and corruption watching his own father do his tricks, Joey, meanwhile, was mustering courage to spill the beans, for he must have felt like conked in the head by the Fatso, and could not tolerate it, thus, the puking of the some toxic lead like those toxic substances found in many China-made toys now being recalled in the US.

    It will be a great disservice to the Filipino people if the Senators in the Philippine Senate will not pursue this case even with pro-admin senatongs like Uncle Johnny, who can still make a U turn in fact to clean up his name. Sayang siya because he actually has the potential to be a great
    stateman kung bakit nadadala ng….a ewan! Iyong mga kasama niya gaya ni Brenda, Angara at Joker Arroyo, mga hopeless cases iyan kaya basura sa akin ang mga iyan. Kung ako ang botante sa Pilipinas, never kong iboboto ang mga iyan. You bet, iyong mga gaya ni Trillanes ang iboboto ko. Iyan ang tunay!!!

    Anyway, this case should be pursued to be investigated in the Senate. The police should be mobilized to carry out searches for evidences in the offices of those involved in this transaction. In fact, the Philippine government is allowed by international convention to request for investigation by authorities in China to investigate the ZTE on this deal even when the Chinese government may be privy to this dirty transaction because the higher the loan, the higher the interest. Anyway, with the ZTE being a private firm, the Chinese government can always wash its hands on this shady transaction.

    This is supposed to be one of those BOT deals we have been hearing about being transacked by Gloria Dorobo since the Philippine government started this kind of deal after Marcos was removed from Malacanang. Pinakamatindi nga iyong mga deals ni FVR sa totoo lang pero malinis magtrabaho ang isa pang ungas who is related to a grandaunt of mine by marriage as a matter of fact. Iyong Roppongi property in fact, siya ang nakinabang.

    Anyway, dasal na lang kung magkakaroon ng yagbols si Neri to testify on this shady deal today. Hopefully, the senators will stop feigning innocents of legal procedures to pursue this and other cases, even the case of Senator Trillanes being deprived of fulfilling his duties and responsibilities to the Filipino people excluding maybe the criminals lording it over the Filipinos!

  7. Careful kayo kasi baka ibinebenta na ang Pilipinas. As someone here says, daig ng mga intsik ang mga hudyo sa pagka-shrewdness. Hindi iyan magtitiyagang magpautang kung walang kapalit na mas mahal kaya tignan ninyo ang nangyayari ngayon sa Tate!

  8. Sorry, Ellen, napahaba ang discourse ko sa itaas. Ang dami kasing dapat linisin e. Cannot help being carried away.

    BTW, miss ko ang input ni Gokusen. OK iyong input noong attorney. Being on the side of the law, madali kong ma-dissect ang mga sinasabi niya. Sayang, with a criminal at the helm of the government, no pansin ang rules of law na pino-post niya, but hopefully, maraming mapupulot ang lahat, lalo na iyong mga nagtatanga-tangahan ngayon sa Pilipinas. Baka iyong mga lawyers doon, gaya ng mga doktor na bagsak nurse o attendant, ay demoted na rin sa pagiging mere clerks, not even paralegals!

  9. alitaptap alitaptap

    AdeBrux says:
    How despicable that Gloria should even appear in a news photo praying at mass! ….

    She is praying that the pinoys be steadfast in their resolve to be a forgiving people with short memories. .. and her prayers evidently are being answered.

  10. luzviminda luzviminda

    Lumawak na talaga ang Mafia sa gobyerno ni Gloria. Halos lahat na ng opisyal ng gobyerno gustong pagsamantalahan ang kaban ng bayan. Buti na lang may ilan-ilan pang natitirang may malinis na konsiyensya. Imagine yang ZTE-NBN deal na yan na gagastusan at pagbabayaran ng taongbayan ng ilang taon eh wala naman silang direktang mapapakinabang. Only the government will benefit in this project. Eh pwede naman private company ang humawak, no need to worry of maintenace and upgrade on the part of government. Ang mga project ng gobyerno ay usually hindi kasama sa budget ang maintenance kaya nasisira at nabubulok na lang, para sa susunod eh panibagong kontrata na naman, meaning may panibagong kickbacks. Gloria’s government does not really care about the welfare of the country. Ang gusto lang nila ay pagsamantalahn ang kaban ng bayan at magpayaman para sa kanilang sarili. IT IS NOT A GOVERNMENT, IT IS A VERY BROAD BAND OF THIEVES!!!

  11. alitaptap alitaptap

    ystakei Says:
    Sorry, Ellen, napahaba ang discourse ko sa itaas.

    OK lang yan, ystakei … sarap na sarap kong basahin ikaw. ganyan talaga ang mga prolific minds.

  12. martina martina

    Despite pala na suspended ang NBN deal ay tuloy pa rin ang inquiry tungkol dito sa senado. Kung tama ang mga reports tungkol sa pagiging honest ni Neri, ha haha, mako-corner na talaga si megalomaniac Glue at malamang she is now running out of options. End of the road for her, sabi nga ni Ms Ninez Olivarez.

  13. luzviminda luzviminda

    Martina,

    Kaso di na raw makontak ni Villar si Neri. Bantay sarado na ng mga ‘security’ na nilagay ni Gloria. Sana naman ay makaharap siya ng ligtas sa Senado. At dapat bigyan ng sariling security ng Senate dahil delikado siya sa mga katotohanang sasabihin niya lalo na at masasabit ang mag-asawang Pidal-Arrovo.

  14. myrna myrna

    cover ng mga newspapers mukha na gloria na taimtim nananalangin. hindi na kinilabutan! pupunta sa china, pati sa new york daw. hindi bale nang magbenta siya, basta sarili niya lang, pati pamilya niya at yung unica hija niya. kahit baratin siya, okey lang sa akin.

    ang problema lang, sampu ng kainosenteng mga bata at pati na hindi pa ipinapanganak, ipinagkompromiso niya na, dahil lang sa pagka-ganid niya at ng mga alipores niya.

    at nagdadasal pa siya huh!?!

    kakahiya!!!

  15. Thanks for the kind words, Alitaptap. Ako din, I love your poems. Nakakaenganyo! Makes you feel patriotic as a matter of fact!

  16. luzviminda luzviminda

    Magandang itanong kay Abalos kung sakaling hindi siya maduwag at um-attend siya sa Senate hearing, eh yung tungkol sa violations sa Omnibus Election Code dahil sa pagpirma ni Gloria during election ban. Ano kaya ang magiging palusot ni Abalos dito?

  17. Dasal ko sana mabuhay pa ng mahaba si Neri kasi baka iligpit iyan at ibintang kay Joma! Susmaryosep!

    Bakit hindi na nagsawa ang mga pilipino sa mga kalokohan ni Gloria Dorobo. Napre-predict na nga ang next step niya sa totoo lang gaya ng pakulo ni Esperon na martial law.

    Hopefully, hindi iyan kasama sa pakulo ni Dubya about getting his hands on the axis of evil that amazingly includes the Philippines because the idiots in the Philippines have made an international terrorist of Joma Sison! Unfair doon sa Japan Red Army as a matter of fact kasi iyong grupong iyon talaga namang naghasik ng lagim sa Tel Aviv and even in the Philippines like the Wakaoji kidnapping case! Oh well, palpak kasi itong mga pulis sa Pilipinas dahil palkpak din iyong prosecutor’s office at korte sa Pilipinas under an unconfirmed dying Secretary of In-Justice.

    Nakakatakot kung isunod ni Dubya sa mga bansang inuutos niyan atakihin. Imagine, war on the Philippines! Nakakatakot!!!

  18. tayerevo tayerevo

    That a “president” is doing this is way beyond disgusting.

    Gloria Arroyo is not even “the” president.

    She’s just a TYRANT imposing an illegitimate rule,

    …and making hay while she’s at it.

    What’s the word beyond disgusting?

  19. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Kunsintadora si Gloriang Putot. Bakit niya pinabayaan ang malaking patong na $200 M? Malapit na tao sa Malacanang ang nakinabang sa kickbacks. Kahit ano pa ang sabihin ni Romulo Neri sa Senado ay wala ng saysay dahil buking na sila.

  20. cg_pinas cg_pinas

    I just want to express my anger in Arroyo Administration, hindi kuna kayang dalhin ang naramdaman ko about sa ating bayan. Kahit ako ay na sa abroad ay araw-araw akung nag babasa ng news at nakita ko na palubha na palubha ang ngyaring katiwalian sa ating bansa. Im so sad na hangang ngayun ay nasa poder parin si Arroyo at patuloy parin ang pagtakip sa mga katiwalian.

    Saan na ang SONA na binangit nya may ngyari ba? Inaabuso na ni Arroyo ang kalayaan ng pilipinas, inaabuso na niya ang kapangyarihan na hawak nya. Inaabuso na nya tayong mga Filipinong nag mamahal sa ating bayan…. Sa totoo lang if I have high powered bomb na ipasabog, matagal kunang ginawa para ipasabog sa loob ng Palasyo ni Arroyo para magbabago ang pilipinas.Kailan ba matatapos ito?tayo lang ang bansa na sobrang makasarili.Sana matapos na ang lahat at magbago na ang pilipinas dahil hindi madali ang mag trabaho sa ibang bansa…

    Hope our country will shine and be blessed.

  21. men0k men0k

    Guys,

    Mukhang maiisahan n naman tayo ni MIDGET…

    GMA invites Neri to join her in her US trip starting on Tuesday night. One Source says Neri was eventold to have an “indefinite” stay in California… This is a breaking news in Inquirer.net…

    Ano b tlga mga Kuyang Sundalo? Kayo n lang ang pag-asa namin!…

  22. parasabayan parasabayan

    I am not worried about Neri but I am worried for his family. Si tiyanak at ang kanyang mga alipores ay magagaling sa “mafia” maneuvers. To intimidate him, may gagawin sa familia niya. Baka nga naitago na nila yung mga kapamilya ni Neri. Sana naman mali ang hinala ko. But knowing how tiyanak’s dogs operate, malamang na may intimidation na iyan. I hope the senate had secured his family immediately after knowing that Neri is in the “eye” of the storm.

  23. parasabayan parasabayan

    Baka ma Joc Joc din itong si Neri. Baka makulong din siya sa US. Nakakatakot. Mukhang malaki ang suhol ni Neri ah! O baka naman nakatali ang mga kamay at paa niya. Can someone help him, please!!!!!!!!!

  24. men0k men0k

    The way I take the “additional” security provided by the “Palace” is to prevent the “Good Guys” from taking Neri so that he can attend the Senate hearing on Wednesday.. Kya pla dinagdagan ang tao ni Neri para cguradong alam nila kung saan nagpupunta at pupunta ung tao.. pra wlang kawala kapag “inimbitahang” magpunta sa US.

  25. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Anak ng jueteng maliwanag na iwas pusoy ito. Gina-gago ni Gloriang Putot ang Senado.

  26. Isaac H Isaac H

    Tuloy ang Senate hearing pala palabasin ang katotohanan. Eh! ano kung isama ni Gloria si Neri sa Merica, baka hindi siya makalabas sa Lincoln tunnel puntang New Jersey harangin na ni Rose – hanggang Weehawken ka lang. Maganda pa isama sa Statue of Liberty at ipalista as landed immigrant sa Neri sa Ellis Island di sisikat pa. Hindi na maitago kasi sumabog na ang tse-tse-boretse. Problema naman ang security sa New York ang dami ng sasalubong kay GMA sa UN, kaliwat-kanan ang rally, talagang marami ng ang nag-aantay. Kanina lang nag-grocery ang mga Pinoy para ready ang baon sa rally. Mapapahiya ka lang. Abangan na lang ninyo my friends.

  27. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Uncle Sam should arrest queen kleptocrat Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts once they landed in U.S. soil.

    Prosecuting Kleptocrats: Denying Safe Haven to Corrupt Officials and Their Illicitly-Acquired Assets
    http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rm/58041.htm

  28. The more they hide Neri,the more we ask.

    Ay,dati na palang walag paki alam si gloria,nagtaka pa ako,

    bakit kaya walang presidente na nagpapakamatay dito pag me skandalo.

    dahil ba yan sa relihiyon,o kung anu pa mang dahilan?

  29. we-will-never-learn we-will-never-learn

    menOk said:
    “GMA invites Neri to join her in her US trip starting on Tuesday night. One Source says Neri was eventold to have an “indefinite” stay in California… This is a breaking news in Inquirer.net…”
    Neri has one of two alternatives, either he runs to “to have an ‘indefinite’ stay in Californianot” not knowing where it will end for him and his family…
    -OR- Follow the steps of Joey de Venecia and have the courage to tell the TRUTH and he will gain so many admirers of the Filipino people, failing that be loathed by them just as they do Joc Joc Bolante.

  30. we-will-never-learn we-will-never-learn

    All hands are on deck, looks as if the ship could be sinking at last, but they’ve discovered there’s not enough life jackets to go around – and many will drown.

  31. men0k men0k

    “Malacañang ‘discretely’ probing bribery in NBN deal”… – Abs-cbnnews.com

    WTF!!!!

    C’mon guys!… DO MIDGET and her DOGS really think that we are that stupid?.. Or maybe yes, we became that stupid already because of this attitude we are showing now that despite of the vulgar and obvious “things” they are doing, we are doing NOTHING!

    I can imagine them just laughing at us and sticking their tongues out…

  32. Mrivera Mrivera

    menok,

    nagkamali siguro sila sa ibinalita. baka ganito ‘yan: “Malacañang ‘discretely’ probing WHO SPILLED bribery in NBN deal”

  33. Karl,

    “dahil ba yan sa relihiyon,o kung anu pa mang dahilan?” – No, dahil sa kaduwagan.

    Takes monumental courage to stick a knife to yourself!

  34. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Parang Asiong Aksaya itong ZTE-NBN at ZTE-Cyber education. Bakit dalawa ang flatform? Broadband at satellite. Mastipid kapag isa lang ang flatform. Wala silang paki-alam at utak kickback.

  35. muntik na tayong maisahan ni MIDGIT GLO mabuti na lang naamoy ang plano nila nila sec romulo na isama si sec neri.

  36. unelected president midget glo wala ka bang maski kaunti man lang pagmamahal sa abyan. wala ka ng iniisip lalo na ang buwaya mong asawa na walang iniisip kong hindi magnakaw bilyon-bilyon sa kaban ng bayan? alam ko ang nasa isip ninyong mag-asawa, kurakot dito kurakot doon kasi malapit na ang 2110. at bago dumating ang taon 2010 pwede ng mahiga si luli arroyo sa mga nakaw na pera maski hindi na magtratrabaho.

  37. alam ba ninyo???????????????????????????? ang utak pala ni unelected president MIDGET GLO as nasa kanyang nunal sa kanyang pisngi.

Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.