'Ombudsman ignoring evidence linking First Gentleman to NBN-ZTE deal'

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer accused the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday of ignoring evidence linking First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to the NBN-ZTE deal.

Ernesto Francisco Jr. said Mr. Arroyo’s name was mentioned in four paragraphs on page 18 of the anti-graft agency’s 144-page decision on the NBN-ZTE case, dated Aug. 27, 2009.

“Concerning the criminal complaint against respondent Jose Miguel T. Arroyo, the same should be dismissed,” he quoted the anti-graft agency’s decision.

“The panel has not been presented with convincing and solid evidence directly or indirectly linking respondent Jose Miguel T. Arroyo in the project.”

Francisco, who had filed a criminal and administrative complaint against Mr. Arroyo, said the Office of the Ombudsman failed to give any other explanation for the dismissal of the charges against President Arroyo’s husband.

“The Ombudsman, in absolving FG Mike Arroyo, simply accepted his feigning ignorance of the meeting at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club despite the fact that he was positively identified not only by Jose de Venecia III but also by DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza to have been present therein,” he said.

Francisco said the anti-graft agency had lived up to its reputation of turning a blind eye on misdoings of high officials and their relatives, and prominent personalities.

“The Ombudsman also simply accepted FG Mike Arroyo’s alleged lack of any clear recollection of the circumstances surrounding his alleged ‘private, casual conversation with Secretary Leandro Mendoza;’ his alleged lack of any ‘recollection of the precise date and time, or of the reason’ for his presence at the said place; the alleged physical impossibility of pointing a finger at Jose de Venecia III in the presence of Secretary Mendoza; his not being so uncouth as to pick a fight with someone he had just met; and the alleged absence of the term ‘back off!’ in his vocabulary,” he said.

Francisco said the Office of the Ombudsman cannot be trusted to ferret out the truth in many unresolved anomalies.

“Sad to say, the Ombudsman is actually responsible for the fact that graft and corruption in our country have remained unabated and have even escalated over the years,” he said.

Francisco said it is not surprising that the anti-graft agency did not investigate business tycoon Enrique Razon despite his name being repeatedly mentioned in the transcripts of the Senate on the NBN-ZTE deal.

For unknown reasons, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman, did not pursue the summons for Razon to appear before the legislative inquiry, he added.

Francisco is also legal counsel of Senators Jamby Madrigal and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Militants protest outside Neri’s house

Militants picketed yesterday the house of Social Security System president Romulo Neri in Quezon City to urge him to tell what he knows about the NBN-ZTE deal.

Some 30 protesters clad in Katipunero attire from the Partido Lakas ng Masa held a brief program outside Neri’s house in Barangay Manresa.

Lawyer Luke Espiritu, Partido Lakas ng Masa spokesman said all corrupt officials must be punished.

“We are informing Neri to emulate the heroic deeds of our heroes and not (be) a puppet of the GMA administration,” he said.

On the other hand, information officer Don Pangan said if Neri identifies the persons behind the deal, the government could prosecute other people, apart from him and former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos.

“Mr. Neri should do the patriotic thing of making public what he knows about this botched deal,” he said.

Neri was director general of the National Economic and Development Authority when the agreement was approved.

The protesters left an hour later.

Neri had reportedly left the house when the protesters arrived.

Neri, Abalos urged to tell all

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo urged yesterday Neri and former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos to publicly disclose everything they know about the NBN- ZTE deal.

Speaking over Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas, Pabillo said Neri and Abalos must speak up about what they know of the anomalous transaction.

“They should not hide behind the skirt of the executive,” he said.

“The Senate should continue with its investigation to determine what roles President Arroyo and her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel ‘Mike’ Arroyo, played in this transaction because we do not know where the Office of the Ombudsman based its decision.”

Even if the First Couple have already been absolved, the truth would come out, according to Pabillo, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace chairman.

On the other hand, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas said: “God knows who is guilty and who is innocent.” – With Reinir Padua, Evelyn Macairan