Korea's Hanjin alleged P400 M bribery offer

IT�S AGAIN GLORIA IGNORING NERI DISCLOSURE

Hanjin bribery bid a reprise of NBN scam, says Lacson

By Sherwin C. Olaes

Daily Tribune 05/04/2008

The brewing Hanjin Heavy Industries amd Construction Corp.�s (Hanjin) bribery mess was a scene taken from the ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) scam when President Arroyo asked former Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri why he refused to accept a P200-million bribe, according to Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Mrs. Arroyo again failed to immediately investigate Korean industrial Hanjin bribe offer that Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental Mayor Paulino Emano told Mrs. Arroyo.

Emano said the bribery attempt was for him to allow a $2-billion shipyard project of the firm despite the absence of an environmental clearance.

If Emano was indeed offered P400 million in bribe and Mrs. Arroyo ignored the mayor�s report, a more interesting question now comes to mind. �How much was offered or actually given to Malaca�ang or Mrs. Arroyo?,� Lacson asked.

The payoff mess involving Hanjin is turning out to be another scandal in the mold of the $329.48 million ZTE-NBN deal, Lacson said.

Lacson noted Mrs. Arroyo did not order an investigation when Emano told her about a P400 million bribe offer, just like she ignored Neri�s report of a P200 million offer.

�It�s Sec, may 200 ka rito (Secretary you have 200 in the project)� all over again.

Lacson was referring to the notorious exchange between Neri and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos that was revealed by Neri himself during a Senate inquiry into the NBN bribery anomaly.

When Mayor Paulino reported to Mrs. Arroyo a P400 million bribe offer by Hanjin, instead of ordering an immediate investigation, he was ignored by Mrs. Arroyo, Lacson said.

�Now that he is talking a bit, a full-blown investigation is being ordered,� Lacson added.

Malaca�ang, meanwhile, indicated being irked over what it termed as an exaggeration by Emano that Mrs. Arroyo ignored him when he reported the alleged bribery attempt by Hanjin.

Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said there�s no truth Emano�s claim but she said Mrs. Arroyo, nevertheless, called the attention over Hanjin�s manhandling complaint against him.

�In view of the conflicting reports or assertions from both sides of the story, the president has directed (Department of the Interior and Local Government) Secretary (Ronaldo) Puno to initiate a fact finding investigation, to ferret out the truth,� she said.

Lacson said last year, when Neri, now chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, told Mrs. Arroyo about a P200 million bribe offer from Abalos, Mrs. Arroyo merely told him not to accept the bribe, but to push through with the ZTE project.

Senate hearings on the ZTE mess revealed a web of corruption involving kickbacks and commissions that jacked up the price of the contract by more than 200 percent, Lacson said.

Lacson also called for the immediate securing of Emano, adding the mayor must now tell all bout the attempted bribery, and Mrs. Arroyo�s possible attempt at a cover-up.

�Mayor Emano must be protected and secured immediately. Thereafter he must tell the details of the whole truth about the attempted bribery involving Hanjin, including making Mrs. Arroyo at least an accessory after the fact,� he said.

Lacson said it is amusing that Mrs. Arroyo would be �furious� only now, saying she should have become furious the moment the bribe offer was reported to her.

�Why did she not immediately order an investigation? Is she ordering one now only because the mayor made it public? And if P400 million was offered to local officials, how much more was offered to Malaca�ang?� he said.

Emano had said he was offered the amount to allow the continued operation of the shipbuilding facility in the town. Emano ordered Hanjin to cease operation after it failed to present an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and a municipal building permit.

Hanjin officials, through a letter-complaint filed before the office of Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno, claimed Emano�s men manhandled one of their representatives.

Hanjin had planned to operate a $2 billion shipyard that would extend from Tagoloan to Villanueva in Misamis Oriental. Its training center alone would occupy eight hectares, while the planned shipyard would be on a 70-hectare property in Tagoloan and on a 400-hectare property in Villanueva.

Fajardo, however, was mum over reports that the President allegedly scolded the mayor upon hearing from the latter Hanjin�s bribe offer.

Fajardo said Puno has already sent Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators to check on the veracity of the mayor�s claims against Hanjin.

�We have to await their (DILG and PNP) report,� she said.

Fajardo stressed that there�s no sacred cow in the government, denying the Senate�s claim that Hanjin is being protected by President Arroyo.

�No. There are no sacred cows, the president as the primary defender of the Constitution, will never allow anybody to be above the law. The law shall be applied to all without fear or favor. The matter is presently being investigated. It is the opportunity for both sides to present their pieces of evidence, if any and those found to be liable for any wrong doing must face the music in court,� she said.

For his part, Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye in a radio interview said it was lamentable that the Hanjin project is being stalled by the bribery controversy.

�There are claims and counter claims, charges and counter charges. Secretary Puno has created a team to investigate the charges. This lost opportunity will cost us all, not only of our country but the local government,� he said.

Bunye expressed hopes that Hanjin would resume the planned shipyard project.

�Those (bribery and extortion) charges will be investigated and we hope that this situation will be resolved,� Bunye added.

Senate investigators, led by Sen. Pia Cayetano, however, said that Hanjin may face charges over the bribery allegations.

Cayetano said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials were found to have allegedly committed grave violations in another project of Hanjin, allowing the Korean firm to construct two high-rise condominium buildings within its forest reserve area and the firm would likely be facing numerous serious charges.

Hanjin is likely to be slapped with more charges, according to Cayetano, chairman of the environment committee in the upper chamber, as it was found to have started ground works for the structure in Misamis Oriental even before an environmental clearance or permit was issued to the project.

Cayetano expressed outrage over the reported bribe from Hanjin to municipal Mayor Paulino Emano of Misamis Oriental, in exchange for his reversal in stopping the construction of he shipyard.

But Cayetano said she more outraged at the fact that even as Emano bared the bribe offer, and informed Mrs. Arroyo on this, the President even had the effrontery to scold the municipal mayor, who was merely doing the right thing, and following the law.

�I am outraged to hear that Hanjin offered such favors to the local official to allow them to continue construction even without first securing a municipal building permit and environmental compliance certificate (ECC), among others. These are basic requirements under the law, regardless of whether you�re a local or foreign investor,� said the senator, referring to the recent revelation made by Tagoloan Mayor Emano ON the P400-million contract offered to him by Hanjin.

�But what I found more revealing is when President Arroyo even scolded Mayor Emano (last Wednesday in Cagaytan de Oro City) for standing his ground, even if he only acted in accordance with his duties as an elected public official.

�The President also allegedly ignored him when he reported the matter about Hanjin�s offer,� Cayetano pointed out.

The President is also said to have ignored the baring by then National Economic Development authority (Neda) chief Romulo Neri of a P200 million bribe offer allegedly made by then Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., for Neri to push the ZTE-National Broadband Network project, which has been found by the Senate to have been kickback-laden to the tune of $135 million or so. Sherwin C. Olaes

ZTE scam Senate witness abducted at airport

The Gloria Arroyo government is controlled by Mafia boss Jose Pidal and protected by rogue AFP chief and some scalawag PNP elements. Where is ZTE scam Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada? Is he still alive?
Arroyo crony Ruben Reyes received $46 M dole out based on Dante Madriaga’s narration of sequence of events that led to $329 M NBN-ZTE broadband scam. There’s no surprise why $200 M kickbacks was added to the original $129 M price.


ZTE witness‘abducted’ at airport
NAIA security chief whisks Lozada
away from Senate arresting team
________________________________________
BY DENNIS GADIL
A TEAM believed led by the security chief of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport "snatched" NBN-ZTE prime witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada from Senate arresting teams as he arrived yesterday.
Reports said Lozada, who flew in from Hong Kong at around 4:40 p.m., was apparently whisked off by retired general Angel Atutubo, NAIA assistant general manager for security, and was directly taken down to the tarmac to a waiting van.
Atutubo reportedly was a former aide of President Arroyo. The van went toward Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
Ellen Tordesillas tells of an insider’s version of how the ZTE deal was ‘cooked.’ Malaya.
Security cams capture PSG man with Lozada in airport

Senators revive call on Gloria to resign

The Philippines’ political and religious leaders want unpopular leader Gloria Arroyo’s corrupt practices to end. The majority of the Filipino people want her ousted. We are just waiting for the knock-out punch, impeachment or extra constitutional means. Most likely a combination of people and military power will finish her off. Only time can tell. I think the GMA loyalist generals won’t fight until the last mans standing. They are political generals without followers. Gloria is lucky if she can survive politically in the current payola scandal.

Senators revive call on Gloria to resign
BY JP LOPEZ
SENATORS yesterday renewed demands for President Arroyo to resign, saying her "misgovernance" is pushing the country to the brink of political upheaval.
"President Arroyo should resign and turn over the government to Vice President de Castro as caretaker until 2010," Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.
Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said Arroyo’s resignation is the only constitutional solution to avert civil war. Malaya
Related Links
Take the money and oust her
Palace misused charity funds, gave loans sans records - COA
Gifts are free? For those in gov’t, not necessarily

Philippine Senate: Mongrel majority

Mongrel Senate? The crossbreed of male donkey and female horse equals mule. The offspring mule is almost sterile. It makes sense in the quest for senate presidency. Does it mean the Villar-led Senate is sterile? Major committees like the Blue ribbon and Finance at the hands of administration senators’ counter checks and balances. The Filipino electorate wants an opposition senate to check the abuses of the Arroyo regime. Greedy Villar is disregarding the voice of the people after his unholy alliance with inbreed bastards. Baog na senado, anyone?

A bogus president must be called bogus president; liars must be called liars and manipulators must be called manipulators irrespective of the guise under which they are acting and the political camouflage under which they are hiding. The camouflage of Judasan bloc Villar-Cayetano Escudero had been exposed. They once again fooled GO-UNO supporters.


Mongrel majority
By Ellen Tordesillas

Excerpts: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano takes pains in explaining to friends and supporters that his support for Sen. Manny Villar for Senate president does not mean that he has abandoned his being a responsible opposition to the Arroyo administration.

"My core values (on truth and justice) remain solid," he said.

I believe Alan and I do not regret having voted for him. But I feel sad.

Caught in the power play for the Senate presidency between Villar and his other political mentor, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Alan chose the former.

That’s easy to understand. Villar is president of the Nacionalista Party where Cayetano belongs. I imagine that as a party mate, the wealthy Villar must have helped the young senatorial candidate. But I imagine also that Cayetano was helped by many others who admired the way he stood his ground in the demolition operation of Mike Arroyo and expected him to continue that role in the Senate.

The contest for the Senate presidency is all about ambition and greed. It has nothing to do with what’s good for the Filipino people.


Understanding treachery in the Senate power play

Political Horse Trading in the Senate

Welcome to the Republic of the Philippines’ prostituted democracy. Political horse-trading has shifted in high gear after the polls. Politicos have sold their souls to protect their interests. Malacanang is sabotaging the opposition’s victory in the senate. The real opposition becomes the minority. JUDASAN is the name of the game. Losers take all! It makes me puke.

Filipino old proverbs say: “Ako ang nagbayo ako ang nagsaing saka ng maluto'y iba ang kumain“. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Santiago are feasting like hungry vultures in the disintegration of the opposition. Divide and rule tactics at work. This is the real politik in the quest for senate presidency. The GO-UNO is a coalition of different political parties. Malacanang operatives are exploiting GO-UNO weakness’ point via compromise and horse trading. The opposition should not fall onto Gloria Arroyo’s sinister plan. She wants a tame Senate and feels safe under Manny Villar leadership.

A peek at Senate committee chairmanships under Villar

BY DENNIS GADIL

SEN. Manuel Villar will endorse Senators-elect Alan Peter Cayetano and Francis Escudero to head the Senate committees on education and on ways and means if he wins a second term as Senate President, a Senate source said yesterday.

Cayetano is secretary general of Villar’s Nacionalista Party. Escudero is a stalwart of Eduardo Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition.

The education panel became vacant after Sen. Franklin Drilon relinquished the Senate leadership to Villar under a term-sharing deal.

The ways and means panel was chaired by Sen. Ralph Recto who lost his re-election bid.

Cayetano said he and Escudero would not mind if they fail to get the major committees. He said he believes the committees are still subject to consultation.

"Meron o wala (committee), okay lang sa amin. Sanay kami ng walang committee," Cayetano said.
Escudero and Cayetano are the outgoing minority and deputy minority leaders of the House of Representatives.

The source said Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, an ally of the administration, would get the Senate committee on finance previously occupied by Drilon.

The source said as of last week, the Senate blue ribbon committee is deemed "vacant" after the chairman, Sen. Joker Arroyo, reportedly agreed to pass the torch to his colleagues in the opposition. Arroyo could not be reached for confirmation of the report.

The source said opposition senators would still pick among Pimentel, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Francis Pangilinan on who should chair the Blue Ribbon committee.

Pimentel will likely remain as minority leader.

The source said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada would be the incoming Senate pro tempore, last held by Sen. Juan Flavier.

Sen. Eduardo Angara has expressed preference to chair the committee on agriculture in exchange for supporting Villar. The post was previously held by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr.

Villar has declined to confirm reports that he has already the support of 14 senators, which would seal his second term as Senate president.

He said anything can happen before the 14th Congress convenes on July 23.

He said even the distribution of Senate committees would still be subject to consultation.

Enrile said Villar is expected to keep his position as 14 senators will certainly vote for him.

There are only 22 senators as Alfredo Lim won the mayoralty race in the city of Manila.

Genuine Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano said Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition, and GO campaign manager Sen. Sergio Osmeña would host a "dialogue" to unite the Villar and Pimentel blocs.

Tamano said this would serve to remind opposition senators of the importance of fielding a common candidate for Senate president. "Hindi pa tapos ito. Each group has to reach out," Tamano said.

Osmeña blamed Pimentel’s backers namely Lacson, Loren Legarda and Manuel "Mar" Roxas II for creating "fissures" in the opposition bloc by picking on Villar.

"It’s a wrong motivation. Ano masasabi nila kay Manny, na nakikipag-usap sa admin? C’mon, hindi ba sila ang unang kumakausap sa admin, kaya di nila masisisi si Manny to react that way," Osmeña said in a radio interview.

Osmeña said the opposition leadership could also not blame Villar for not reaching out to the three senators.

Lacson is said to be pushing for Pimentel in exchange for the Blue Ribbon committee. Legarda hopes to reclaim the post of majority leader. Roxas reportedly wants the finance committee.

At the Kapihan sa Senado, Pimentel also took to task Roxas, Lacson and Legarda for complicating the race for the Senate presidency.

"The reason they want me to take a crack at it (Senate presidency) is that at 73, my eyes do not moist for the presidency anymore," Pimentel said.

Roxas, Lacson and Legarda reportedly have presidential ambitions in 2010.

Pimentel said the Senate president is entitled to many legal perks useful to any presidential ambition, including chairmanship of the Commission on Appointments.

He said Villar’s Senate presidency is "a little controversial" because he has aligned with administration senators.

But the choice of Senate president remains a numbers game, he said.

"It is reported that 14 senators are backing Villar. If that is true, congratulations to Manny," he said.

Asked if he considers Villar, who ran under the Genuine Opposition, to still be with the opposition, he said: "He has always said that he is with the opposition. Subject to proof to the contrary, I will take him at his word."

He maintained that the incoming Senate should be an opposition Senate. "That was the message of the people during the last elections," he said. – With JP Lopez
MALAYA 06/29/2007

Los Angeles Times: Jailed Filipino likely to be a senator

Comelec’s delaying tactics regarding the proclamation of Antonio Trillanes IV as senator of the republic is direct contempt and insult to 11+ million voters. It’s affirmed and validated that Chairman Benjamin Abalos is following orders or directives from usurper Gloria Arroyo. Trillanes cannot be dislodged from the winning circle even he got zero votes from Maguindanao. Chairman Abalos and rest of elections commissionaires are disgrace to Philippines’ fragile democracy. Anak ng jueteng, wala ba kayong natitirang delicadeza? RESIGN en mass!
UPDATE: The Commission on Elections is set to proclaim Genuine Opposition candidate Antonio Trillanes IV as senator on Friday, DZMM reported.

The COMELEC en banc, which is sitting as National Board of Canvassers, announced its decision after canvassing votes from Surigao del Norte Thursday. It said Trillanes got 44,604 votes from the province.

Trillanes placed 11th in the Senate race. ABS-CBN News

The Trillanes Dilemma

Trillanes Keeps the Fire Burning

The political victory of ex- Navy Lt. Antonio Trillanes IV is a repudiation of morally bankrupt Arroyo regime. The more than 11 million voters supported his anti-corruption advocacy and protest vote against GMA’s anti-people policies. Majority of the Filipino people based on surveys want the ouster of bogus President Gloria Arroyo whether via military intervention, resignation or people’s uprising. The victory of the Genuine Opposition-UNO in the senate race is a referendum or no confidence vote against Gloria Arroyo and her corrupt government. Finally, the ultimate reward will be the prosecution and conviction of Jose Pidal and Gloria for their crimes against the Filipino people.

“If I’m going to craft policies that will focus on anti-corruption, we can’t have an anticorruption drive implemented by a corrupt President, so it’s impossible, I can only do so much".

"I believe we can clinch the required number of congressmen to impeach her. The only way for this country to move forward is to move Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo out of the way.” Former Navy Lt. Antonio Trillanes IV


Senator-to-be Antonio Trillanes IV of the Genuine Opposition does not disappoint those who trace the mess that this country is in to the illegitimacy of the Arroyo presidency.

Foremost, he never refers to Arroyo as "president". Just plain Gloria Arroyo.

In his interview last Monday with ABS-CBN’s Ces Drilon, the first after he was granted post-election media access, he said he would work for the impeachment of Gloria Arroyo.

This categorical declaration, at this time when some of the opposition senators-elect are taking a magnanimous attitude towards the Arroyo, has elicited strong reactions.

It’s perfectly okay with me because I believe that no one who was ever elected by the people should hold the presidency. Given the many crimes against the Filipino people that Arroyo has committed, I believe such an undertaking is long overdue.

But I know of others who want a respite from wearying political hostilities. There is also the aspect that he was elected senator (I’m presuming that he will soon be proclaimed senator because he won) who would only be able to participate in an impeachment process if the Senate is convened as an impeachment court. An impeachment complaint is initiated in the House of Representatives.

Ces asked, given that the numbers in the Lower House do not favor of the opposition, would he still pursue his advocacy of Gloria Arroyo’s impeachment?

Trillanes’ reply: "The impeachment advocacy has been my campaign line because I believe that’s the only way for this country to move forward. We have lined up several legislative proposals which require primarily executive action. We can’t possibly expect these policies to be implemented by such a corrupt president. So I’m being straightforward to the people that we can’t do much as long as we have GMA as president."

He said his winning the senate race despite all the odds – in detention, lack of funds, very few TV ads – was a statement from the people that they want change.

He sees the lack of numbers among the congressmen now as surmountable. He said his senatorial win broke several conventions in Philippine politics. "We have done practically the impossible. It shows it can be done."

He elaborated how he is going to go about it. "If I can convince people to vote for me, I believe I can also convince congressmen to support impeachment. Or I can convince sectors of society to convince congressmen to support impeachment."

In a separate interview with DZMM’s Anthony Taberna and Gerry Baja yesterday, he expressed the desire to be part of the Blue Ribbon and the Defense committees. I can imagine that through investigation in aid of legislation, he would be able to uncover more impeachable crimes committed by Arroyo.

Trillanes told Ces Drilon that impeaching Arroyo "is the only way to go. And I will keep on delivering that message. We can have change now, outside Gloria and move forward to progress. Or we can tolerate three years of what we have now with Gloria at the helm."

He pursued the same line in his answer to ANC’s Ricky Carandang, who joined the interview from the studio. Asked about his legislative agenda, Trillanes replied that the legislative agenda he presented to the people necessitates the removal of Arroyo. He cited his anti-corruption position: "You cannot possibly expect and anti-corruption legislation to be implemented by a corrupt president. We have to be real about the situation."

He said it’s the same thing in the areas of peace and order. He disclosed that he is in the process of conceptualizing a comprehensive Mindanao peace plan that will include conflict resolution, infrastructure development, enhanced economy and social services. "We can’t have this under GMA because GMA is the one responsible for the endless war in Mindanao. She had her chance. For six years, she mismanaged the country and right now, she can’t possibly say anything as regards the Mindanao war because she’s the one who perpetuated it."

It will be recalled that when Trillanes and some 300 soldiers belonging to the Magdalo staged what is now referred to as the Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003, they disclosed the Greenbase documents which exposed the plan of Arroyo and her national security officials to control Mindanao for business interests.

To those who are concerned that he would not be a fair and impartial judge in case of an impeachment trial against Arroyo, he explained that impeachment is a political trial whose end is not criminal conviction but a change in political leadership.

"So the ultimate judgment is based not only on the overall political assessment (but also) of whether it is in the best interest of the country for the accused public official to continue serving in government."

Four years of detention has not doused the fire of idealism that we saw in Oakwood. I like what I’m seeing.



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