'Pursue plunder raps vs GMA over ZTE deal'

MANILA, Philippines - Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño is asking the Ombudsman to pursue plunder charges against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the aborted $329-million national broadband network (NBN) project.

He and two co-complainants are filing a “partial” motion for reconsideration (MR) with the Ombudsman’s office today to press for the filing of a plunder case against Arroyo.

“In our MR, we want the Ombudsman to include the case of plunder in the case they filed at the Sandiganbayan against GMA (Mrs. Arroyo), former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, Benjamin Abalos (former Commission on Elections chairman) and Leandro Mendoza (former transportation and communications secretary). We totally disagree with the Ombudsman’s position that the witnesses cannot tend to prove that money changed hands,” he said. 

It was Abalos who allegedly brokered the NBN contract, which was awarded to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. in April 2007 in ceremonies in Boao, China that were witnessed by then President Arroyo.

Casiño said there were testimonies in Senate hearings that money changed hands between ZTE Corp. and Filipino officials behind the deal.

He said that the testimony of witness Dante Madriaga alone “clearly establishes the fact that money, at least $30 million of it, indeed changed hands.”

He said there was another testimony that the Chinese firm advanced $41 million to the “Filipino group” that was pushing for the transaction.

He added that apparently, investigators of the Ombudsman glossed over these testimonies.

He noted that there were also the sworn statements of witnesses Joey de Venecia III and Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. about kickbacks and commissions amounting to as much as $200 million and which padded the contract price to $329 million.

Casiño said they also want Mendoza charged not only with graft but with violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for public Officials as well.

Meanwhile, Comelec prosecutors and defense counsels of former president Arroyo and Abalos will argue today the motions on the separate electoral sabotage charges filed before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112.

They will tackle the motions for inhibition, bail and recall of warrant of arrest issued by the Court. – With Michael Punongbayan, Perseus Echeminada