PCIJ report: ‘Half-truths and innuendoes’

I refer to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) series on IPPs by Luz Rimban and Sheila Pesayco published in four issues of The Philippine STAR in August 2002 and on the Binga Hydroelectric Plant Project by Luz Rimban, likewise published in three issues of your newspaper in October 2002.

Sometime in July 2002, Luz Rimban together with Sheila Pesayco asked for and was given an interview by FVR in connection with a report which they were then doing on IPPs. The interview lasted for more than three hours and yet, when the PCIJ report was published, only two or three short lines coming from said interview came out. Much later, we learned that other persons directly involved and knowledgeable on the IPP issues were also interviewed, including Rex Tantiongco, former Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) Chair and Francisco Viray, former Napocor President and Department of Energy Secretary. None of what they said during their lengthy interviews came out in the same report. It appeared, therefore, that statements and explanations that would alter or contradict the reporter’s pre-conceived "slant" or anything which could dampen interest on their otherwise "explosive" and saleable report, were conveniently discarded. Obviously, the reporters just went through the motions of interviewing them to be able to claim objectivity and that they heard the other side of the story.

The PCIJ article also referred to a 1994 World Bank Report which allegedly warned the Ramos Administration of excess electric power supply. Either the PCIJ reporter has not really seen, read or understood the said World Bank Report or intentionally took portions of it out of context to come out with the intriguing proposition that the Ramos Administration continued to contract with IPPs for additional power supply that was no longer needed. In fact the said Report commented favorably on the government’s medium and long-term Power Development Plan (which incidentally, was prepared after prior consultations with and using relevant data provided by the World Bank itself and Asian Development Bank).

Still on the same PCIJ Report, it mentioned in one of the four - part series that FVR, when he was still President, went to Argentina in connection or to push the contract with IMPSA (an Argentinian Company). The fact is – FVR never went to Argentina during or even after his Presidency. His last trip to Argentina was in 1951, that is a good 41 years before he became President. We do not know what standard PCIJ uses in its "investigative" reports. If this is another mistake due to lousy investigative work, then there is a problem. If it was deliberate, again to suit their story, there is an even bigger problem.

Much of the said PCIJ Report are half-truths and innuendoes obviously for the purpose of pinning blame for alleged undue favors given by FVR. The same report, which was a clear rehash of an old PCIJ report by Mike F. Leonen dated April 2-3 2001, had nothing but gratuitous and unsubstantiated allegations.