NBI summons 8 witnesses in World Bank bid rigging, but won't touch First Gentleman

MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday issued subpoenas to eight witnesses who will be called to give some information about the alleged bid rigging of projects in the Philippines involving government officials as exposed by the World Bank, but the agency will not touch First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo who has been implicated in the case.

In a text message, NBI spokesman lawyer Ricardo Diaz told reporters that the bureau has released subpoenas for three officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and five private contractors who reportedly have knowledge about the alleged bid rigging.

Included in the list, Diaz said, is the auditor of the DPWH bids and awards committee, who issued findings that there was no collusion.

Diaz said the NBI has to lay out first the foundation, before any of the subjects or those allegedly implicated, would be called to give a sworn statement.

“We will first call the witnesses. The subjects, or people with allegations that they were involved in the collusion, will not yet be subpoenaed. We have to build up the case first. In the investigation, we have to call first the witnesses before the subjects being implicated,” Diaz said.

Diaz also said the NBI investigators would want sworn statements from the witnesses, not affidavits, adding that they intend to conduct a full-blast investigation this week.

All of the witnesses and those being implicated will be called by the NBI, he said.

The witnesses will also be ordered to bring certain documents pertaining to the bidding of government projects  and give testimonies during the interviews to be conducted by NBI investigators.

Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni earlier said Mr. Arroyo was allegedly implicated in the bid-rigging World Bank report based on interviews with unnamed witnesses.

Jalandoni also said that Mr. Arroyo will not be included in the Ombdusman’s probe because he is considered as a private individual.

Mantaring had confirmed that among those who will also be investigated are private contractors of the DPWH, if they are also named, since they are also considered as private individuals.

The Office of the Ombudsman tapped the services of the NBI to investigate private individuals implicated in the alleged bid-rigging mentioned in the World Bank report.

Jalandoni said the anti-graft agency and the NBI will jointly probe alleged collusion between private contractors and government officials in the supposed anomaly.

Mr. Arroyo can only be probed based on the testimonies of private contractors in the Senate hearings since the witnesses were never named, and the report was confidential, he added.

The joint probe with the NBI will have to again call on the witnesses and have them testify on Mr. Arroyo’s supposed involvement in the anomaly, as well as other government officials mentioned in the Senate hearings, he said.