by Jess Diaz
The Philippine Star
The Chinese contractor of the $503-million North Rail project wants out because of the “huge bribe” paid to Filipino officials, causing a five-year delay in the project, according to a lawyer familiar with the case.
Speaking at the Serye Café news forum in Quezon City, lawyer Harry Roque said China National Machinery and Equipment Group (CNMEG), a state-owned corporation, spent most of the $150 million advanced by the government under its contract paying bribes.
“The contractor is backing out of the project because of the huge cost of corruption,” he said.
“They have paid big bribes to Philippine officials, and they want to recover those big amounts first before they proceed.”
Roque said one official involved in the project had at least P500 million in his bank account.
“The Chinese contractor reported the bribes to President Arroyo last Monday when she met with them in Clark,” he said.
Chinese embassy officials know about the bribe or “tongpats,” but they “are not speaking about it, at least not publicly,” he added.
Roque said CNMEG wants the government to advance an additional $200 million to recover the cost of alleged corruption, but that Malacañang has refused.
“This is the story that Palace officials are not telling the public,” he said.
Roque, who challenged the legality of the Northrail contract, said the Makati Regional Trial Court has ruled that since the contract is not a treaty, it is covered by the Procurement Law and should be subjected to public bidding.
“The court declared it as a commercial contract because it did not involve the exercise of sovereign functions,” he said.
Roque said CNMEG has questioned the decision before the Court of Appeals, where the case is pending.
“They are claiming that it is a treaty and should not go through the requirement of public bidding, and that they are immune from suit because they are a Chinese state corporation,” he said.
Roque said administration officials are speaking “with discordant voices to hide the corruption involved in Northrail and the fact that the $150 million advanced by the government is already gone without an inch of railway being built.”
“One official claimed the project has been terminated, while another asserted that it’s still on,” he said.
Edgardo Pamintuan, whom Mrs. Arroyo has reportedly named to head North Luzon Railways Corp., said CNMEG has “demobilized” from the project, leaving it in limbo.
However, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the railways project will continue despite issues involving its contractor.
A similar Chinese-funded project, the plan to build a national broadband network (NBN) for the government, has been derailed by allegations of corruption.
The awarding of the NBN contract to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. was witnessed by Mrs. Arroyo herself on April 21, 2007, just days after her husband went through life-threatening heart surgery.
The First Gentleman was still recuperating when Mrs. Arroyo left his bedside for China for the signing ceremonies between ZTE officials and Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza.
There were claims that at least $130 million in commissions and kickbacks were to be made from the $329-million ZTE contract. There were even allegations of advances amounting to $41 million.
Related stories:try to sift through the conflicting reports. The truth is somewhere there.
GMA scraps Northrail project
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza on Northrail, 9:30 pm of July 1, 2008:
No,there is no truth to that(cancellation of contract). On the contrary, it’s being given more attention. It is, in fact, integrated into SCADC under Sec.Pamintuan for better supervision.
The Northrail is vital in the development of Subic Clark as logistics hub.
North Rail still on: Chinese Embassy
Arroyo Aide insists Chinese withdrew from Northrail
“The Chinese contractor reported the bribes to President Arroyo last Monday when she met with them in Clark,”
Why make sumbong to the puta when she’s the biggest collector of tongpats!
Just make public the names of Gloria’s officials, masaya kung magkagulo sila.
The Chinese reported the bribes to GMA just like what Neri did. What is GMA going to do? Of course keep quiet since among those who greatly benefited from it was her husband.
Kunyari pa si Gloria na walang alam ha. Remember that scandal long, long time ago where she even tried to embarrassed her classmate Bing Francisco, who reported to her about what the husband had been doing, and the dorobo’s PRO jumping to her rescue by advertising that the husband was “meddling” in public bids, etc. behind her back?
O may nangyari ba? Wala, and the bitch has not even tried to give the husband an ultimatum to stop his illegal activities, etc. And the friend? Ayun, kawawa. She died without achieving anything for her little public service. The creeps remain squatting at the palace by the murky river.
And why should the Pandack Omama even try to stop these rackets of the husband when it has allegedly made her 11M dollars or more richer? Hopefully, the Chinese have learned their lessons and stop from patronizing these creeps who must have used the Chinese connection by blood of the piggy, one of whose ancestors is said to have come from Fookien. Kaya nga lumalapit na iyan sa mga kano. Mukhang wala nang maloloko, kababayan na lang niya siguro!
Kahit nagsumbomng sila kay Gloria Arroyo, walang aksyon dahil siya’y kunsintadora sa mga anomalyang sabit si Fatboy Mike at cronies.
…Ooops, sumobra….to embarrass not with “ed.”
Look at what happened to Neri. Tinakot at natakot ang binabae!
Corruption after corruption, ang nakakatakot parang wala lang. Manhid na yata ang Pinoy sa ganitong sistema. Ang suwerte naman ng mga linta ng bayan.
Bayan gumising po tayo, iwaksi sa isipan na ganito talaga ang kalakaran. Hindi po ito tama, baguhin po natin ang kasysayan. Kung hindi man tayo ang makikinabang, itoy para sa ating mga henersyong daratal.
hindi pa rin magkaisa ang mga kumag. may nagsasabing wala na gayong iba naman ang pahayag ng mga intsik. tell that to the marines.
Out of topic, but the idiot has designated Fuckyao as special envoy and then flag bearer in the Olympic which is a game for amateurs not professionals paid with millions and betted on by gamblers. Diyos mahabagin naman baka mag-umpisa pa ang mga ungas na iyan na gawing betting game ang Olympics. Sarap magmura! Puede ba pakimura?
At saka puede ba iyon namang may personality ang gawing ambassador, special man and otherwise. Ang dami namang mas qualified kesa doon sa sugarol na nanalo lang sa boxing ginagamit nang pang publicity ng isang laos na pandak. Please ang sama na nga ng reputation ng mga pilipino, dadagdagan pa ng isang pangit! Maawa naman kayo sa bansa ninyo!
He’s now addressed as Ambassador Manny Pacquiao. One can get all kinds of titles he wants under this evil regime.
Kahit sino ay pwedeng maging ambassador ni Gloria. Pakyaw is better than Davide.
Si Davide ang nagtapon sa ating kapinuyan ng kanyang basurang Gloria de Puta and his ambassadorship is only focused on defending his president bitch in the eyes of the world.
Si Pakyaw kung tutuusin ay wala namang ginawang masama sa Pinas (nakakatulong pa sa 3M donasyon na hindi mapupulot ng mga nasalanta kahit magpakamatay pa sila at siempre ang karangalan ng bansa.) Uto-uto nga lang at aliping saguiguilid ng mga Pidal at sobrang tiwala na kaibigan niya ang mga EK officials. Kung natalo iyan ay nag-disappear kaagad ang kanyang corrupt friends at umiinom na siya ngayon ng anti-depressant pills.
Nakakalungkot nga lang at hanggang diyan lang ang isip ni Pakyaw, ang laki sana ng kanyang magagawa para sa bansa.
Sa nangyayaring pagsasamantala ng mga Pidal sa kahinaan ni Pakyaw, ang lungkot siguro ni Teddy Benigno kung nabubuhay pa. (Madalas kong basahin si TB noon).
The husband in fact almost became a special envoy for the OFWs (kuno). Nagreklamo ang mga OFWs kaya hindi itinuloy. People at the DFA should protest against this kind of special designations even to the unqualified. Hindi pa nga nakatapos ng elementary school iyan sa totoo lang.
Kitang-kita ang double standard ng rehimeng ito. Nang tumakbo si FPJ, a high school dropout, reklamo katakot-takot ang brigada ni Pandack Omama, pero iyong mga hindi nakatapos kahit elementarya, binibigyan ng title basta sunud-sunuran sa kaniya. Ulol! Anong gagawin niyan, magrekomendang tumaya sa sabungan niya? Yuck!
Low class ang pino-promote ng animal komo low class siya kahit anong gawin niyang pag-angat sa sarili niya. Bakyang-bakya ang dating sa totoo lang. Usli pa ang bibig pag nagsasalita. Pangiiiiiiit!
Taragis iyong Fuckyao, sarap na sarap sa sarili! Ayoko nga lang manumpa at magdasal na di dapat pero ang sarap sanang hilinging magkaroon na sana ng athritis sa kamay para hindi na makasuntok. Pero masama kaya, let’s leave it to God to do what should be done. Kasi hindi pa yata panahon na alisan ng bigat ng pasanin ang mga pilipino. Kailangan nilang magkaroon pa ng leksyon siguro.
As long as this Pacquiao is in the company of goons (Chavit, Pidal…), He sure will be in trouble one day.
Dobleng tongpats daw ang Northrail project ni Gloria, sabi ni Lacson at kung magsasalita lang si JdV ay maraming sasabit na opisyal ni tianak.
A, nasaan na ba si Joe dV, hinihimod pa ang nasaktan niyang amor propio?! Useless public officials.
bitchevil,
That day will sure come as his problem is mental (pahiram Dean). Malakas na kamao, utak na halos imbalido!
Sabit din si JdV sa Northrail tongpats. Aminin ang kanyang kasalanan sa taumbayan at puedeng maging state witness. Ala-Chavit style. Bakit kaya tahimik si Sen. Enrile tungkol sa Northrail anomalya? Noon nasa oposisyon siya, maraming expose’ laban kay Gloriang Tiyanak.
I understand that Fuckyao is going to meet Valero in his next fight. Lagot na siya. This guy is feared by many boxers as a matter of fact.
I’ve seen this guy fight twice in Japan, and boy, luma si Fuckyao because he usually finishes his opponent in the first round. Ang bilis ng suntok, rapido, kaya hindi makaganti ang kalaban.
Baka diyan na maluma si Fuckyao. Come November, maybe, the piggies will be betting on Valero, hindi na kay Fuckman. Tignan natin kung papaano siya tatratuhin ng mga dugong aso when he is no longer a champ.
Ang chinese guy ay nagsumbong sa promoter or the grand woman of tongpats, naku lagot siya!
Until we put these corrupt officials behind bars or shoot a few of them dead, “corruption” is simply a way of life and will not stop! The people will have to continue paying for the money that they never get any benefit from. The day will come when the country will just be paying the debts these corrupt leaders put us into from all the income of the country and there will be nothing left to even run the government. Two more years in the evil bitches EK and we will be closer to a bankrupt government!
Tangna, pag pati yung Intsik na nagreklamo ng tongpats, naginvoke ng Executive Privelege, nalintikan na tayo. Dapat nang ipamukha sa Supereme Court ang katarantaduhan nilang desisyon sa kaso ni Neri.
I’m sure this Chinese guy will be banned from the Philippines forever. While he’s here, can anybody get a sworn statement from him please!
I saw this in Jessica Soho’s program some weeks back. Nabubulok na yung mga heavy equipment, yung mga bakal, kalawang na, other materials deteriorated, the only thing constructed was a field office that if ever the project will ever push through, more purchases will be necessary to bring it up to specs again and of course, more tongpats opportunities, juice ko po!
Sablay lahat ng project ni Pandack Omama, mas malinis ang pag-gawa ng kurakot kesa project. Yung Clark-Subic expressway, papalo na sa P30B mula sa original estimate ng mga Hapon na P15B. Tinanggal na nga yung tatlong interchange (na kasama ang sa Clark, of all things) para makatipid daw, dumoble pa ang cost. Tongpats na naman.
Ano ba, hanggang “putang ina” na lang ba talaga tayo?
Kaya siguro lumalapit na naman kay Bush si Pandack, pakiramdam niya, ibubulgar na siya ng China sa mga kurakot niya. Naghahanap na ng padrino dahil naka-cancel na ang mga project ng China.
Talaga yatang dadalhin tayo sa giyera ng bruhang ito.
Who knows, this Evil Bitch may cause a war between China and the US.
Atty. Roque said, “… one official involved in the project had at least P500 million in his bank account.”
I think this guy suffered a fatal heart attack last year. His wife and mistress are quarreling over that over P500 million in the bank.
Yan, hindi niya nadala sa kabilang buhay ang kanyang tongpats.
The question that many ask: is the P500 million really his or was he holding it for someone else?
Tongue: Kaya siguro lumalapit na naman kay Bush si Pandack, pakiramdam niya, ibubulgar na siya ng China sa mga kurakot niya. Naghahanap na ng padrino dahil naka-cancel na ang mga project ng China
*****
Iyan din ang pakiramdam ko, Tongue. Ingat si Pandack Omama pag inipit niya iyong whistle blower na intsik. Pag malakas iyon sa politburo ng China, lagot na siya. At saka na-turn down yata ang bagong request ng puta kaya takbo na sa Tate para ipakita sa China na bati na naman siya ng mga kano!
Tawag diyan dugong aso talaga!!! Dapat na talagang magdasal ng lubusan ang mga pilipino. Siguro pag natalo si Fuckyao, iyon na ang simula ng pagbagsak ni puta na papayagan pa yata ng mga pilipino na makapag-SONA at bola-bolahin na naman sila. Wala talaga silang kasawaan sa totoo lang. Dapat mag-rally sa July 28 when the creep tries to make her usual gimmick again. Taon-taon may pakulo si ungas gaya noong paper boat na hindi naman pala totoo. Tinuruan pa iyong mga batang ginamit na magsinungaling. Ngayon baka pakulo niya iyong papaano siya nakakalap ng pera sa pamamagitan ni Fengshen at sabihin blessing in disguise ang bagyong iyon.
Ang dami palang namatay di lang iyong nasa bapor, pero nakakatawa pa si puta.
Ingat ang mga intsik. Labas niyan kapareho noong kaso ng mga German sa NAIA 3. Pero hindi natitinag ang swindler na Pandack Omama. Hindi daw niya kasalanan kasi. Pirming nakaturo ang kamay kung kanino, tapos ang galing magpalusot na akala mo walang alam! Papaano nakakalusot iyan. Wala ba nang tinatawag na “command responsibility”? Bakit hindi naiintindihan iyan?
Sabit ang Japan kapag naulol si Bush at magtangkang atakihin ang China. Pero siguro naman they (Americans) will not be that stupid to attack China kaya nga pupunta si Bush sa Olympics at si Pandack Omama will again try to show off that she is close to Bush. Ulol! Kahit nga may tupak si Bush, halatang alibadbad sa kaniya sa totoo lang.
Gabriela,
Baka binabawi na ng ‘we know who’ ang P500M kaya na-heart attack ang yumaong opisyal.
Demonya kasi kaya expert si Gloria sa pagpatay ng malinis, dinadaan sa sakit para mapasakanya ang hindi kanya, look at Da King.
Gab, chi,
sino yun? Is there a clue? Sirit na!
Tongue,
You’ll get your answer here:
http://www.yehey.com/News/Article.aspx?id=213506
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics01_april24_2006
Hindi naman sekreto ang mga deals ng mga Pidal. Sabi ko nga sa ibang loop, kakilala ko sa isang probinsiya sa Norte, may offer ng project suggested by the Fatso na pagkakakuwartahan daw at malaki ang taga. Mas garapal nga ngayon kasi mismong asawa ng pinaupong tarantada ang numero unong udyokero, taga-push, tagakikil, etc. Alam ng lahat iyan kaya umiiral din kasi ang kaswapangan kaya walang magsumbong. Lahat kasi kasabwat at kahit hindi kasabwat, tumatahimik na rin kasi magaling mamintang at manirang puri iyong mag-asawang Pidal. Na-master na iyong mudsmearing tactics ng mga umupo simula pa noong 1986.
Kawawang Pilipinas talaga!
Over here, iyong mga gumagawa ng kurakot, ang nag-i-squeal iyong mismong mga empleyado gaya ng mga bureaucrats na minamanmanan ang mga elected officials namin para hindi sila makakurakot o kaya iyong mga empleyado ng isang sikat na restaurant dito na nagsara na kasi nagsumbong ang mga empleyado na iyong tira ng mga kumain na hindi nagalaw, ibinabalik sa ref tapos isinisilbi sa ibang customer na bawal na bawal dito gawa ng maingat sa hygiene at sanitation sa mga kainan at inuman. Meron pang isang tindahan naman ng mga karneng baka na iniimbestigahan ngayon dahil pinaghahalo ang karneng biniling mura sa ibang bansa at karneng mamahalin na gawa sa Japan tapos ibebenta ng mahal na may label na “Product of Japan.” Mahirap manloko dito, kasi nahuhuli at nahuhuli din. Matitiyaga ang mga pulis a totoo lang pero iyon ay kung talagang may kasong dapat ipaglaban. Hindi tinatanggap dito ang mga salitang iniimbento gaya noong “I’m sorry ni Pandack Omama.”
Tanong ng staff ko, “Ma’m kailan kaya magiging ganyan sa Pilipinas?” Sagot ko, “Siguro pagputi ng uwak!”
Pasalamat talaga sai Pandack Omama na hindi siya naging hapon kasi kundi matagal na siyang tepok!!! Either magpakamatay siya o magpakulong. Pati pamilya niyan ostracized ang labas. Hindi puede iyong arte niya na ipinagmamayabang pang 3,000 dollars iyong suot niya samantalang ang dami niyang kababayan na nagugutom, at kilalang-kilala sa ibang bansa na kundi super-atsoy/atsay, !! Iyan ang tarantado talaga!
Gabriela,
Kawaawa naman, ni hindi niya mapakinabangan yung kinurakot niya sa hukay.
Sumaimpiyerno nawa ang kaluluwa niya.