Peddling our sovereignty?

That agreement signed last July 25th between the government and a Washington, D.C. law firm named Venable LLP raises troubling questions about why GMA is seeking foreign funding to support her charter change initiative.

The contract contains boiler-plate language typical in "consulting" contracts entered into with Washington lobbyists. The firm is required to "serve as liaison with US Government officials including the Executive Branch on behalf of the Philippine Government." It will also "provide information on US policy, including likely directions of Federal legislation that would have a potential impact on the Philippines."

However, the contract (which is readily available in the internet and, hence, government officials like Executive Secretary Ed Ermita can’t claim ignorance of its terms) also mentions "specific tasks" which have been "identified" by our government.

One of those "specific tasks" has raised the hackles of opposition legislators and impartial observers alike. The contract binds the law firm to use its "best efforts" to secure "grants or congressional earmarks" from the US to support the Cha-cha "initiative of the President of the Philippines which would reshape the form of government… from its current structure into a parliamentary federal system."

According to the contract, the grants would be used for "the much-needed re-engineering of the bureaucracy to recover large estimated losses from acts of corruption and government inefficiency."

"Re-engineer" the bureaucracy to recover losses from corruption and inefficiency? Yeah, sure! You guys were smart not to put a deadline to when all this had to be done, make non-performance an event of default or exact confiscatory penalties for failure to deliver the aforementioned recovery of losses.

In addition, another "specific task" identified by the Philippine Government was to "facilitate re-inclusion" of the Philippines in US development assistance programs "to help build a fresh economic impetus." Venable will also work for the "gradual upgrading of the investment ratings" of the Philippine Government (as opposed to the country) by such entities as the US Eximbank "to reduce the cost of borrowed funds."

Wow! Hey, if these hot-shots can do all that, we should just abolish the Department of Finance, fire Gary Teves, and all the "economic managers." We don’t need them. All we need is a miracle worker like Venable. The fact that these Beltway Super Lawyers are reportedly associated with old Democratic Party politicians who are currently out of office makes them all the more amazing.

Imagine doing all this while George W and his cowboys are locked in mortal combat with Kennedy, Biden, Feinstein et al. over such distractions as the confirmation of the nomination of the US Supreme Court Chief Justice, the handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and the military situation in Iraq? Incredible!

Our Beltway Super Lawyers are also charged with creating a "capability enhancement program for our Armed Forces under the auspices of the US Defense Loan Guarantee Program" in order to acquire military equipment and develop facilities.

One such "creation," would be a "long-term" loan of US$300 million. Venable will "attempt" – no promises, mind you – to have waived those infamous "country-risk fees charged against less-stable countries" irrespective, I suppose, of whether our country becomes more stable or not, and without assurances that those waivers will not attract large "waiver fees" fully chargeable to us and not deducted from Venable’s success fees.

Think that’s all? Not on your life. Our Beltway Super Lawyers will also "achieve a similar upgrade process for the Philippine National Police, to include training and equipage of units…" Not too much by way of detail here though, so I’m not too sure what sort of upgrade program they’re thinking of and how they plan to do it.

And, naturally, the Big Finish. Our super lawyers-lobbyists-consultants will "advance Philippine objectives relating to US investment and trade, including the participation of American companies in the development of needed infrastructure projects…; effect favorable trade legislation and… secure international business arrangements such as project finance, debt and equity offerings, and BOT, BOO and BOOT projects; and encourage policy changes in the US to support overall Philippine economic development programs and grant in aid support for structural reforms."

With all that fire-power at our service, we can now add the Department of Trade and Industry and Secretary Peter Favila to our hit list. We should also severely downsize the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Budget Management, Tourism and, what the hell, the Office of the President itself.

But even without the usual B.S. that D.C. lobbyists, image-makers and Capitol Hill consultants throw in to bloat their already-inflated fees, this Venable deal exudes a stink that would make Hurricane-ravaged New Orleans seem like a rose garden.

Why does the President of the Philippines need US tax money for her Cha-cha "initiative"? Obviously, if the US funds an exercise which expresses the sovereign and independent will of the Filipino people, that money will be used to promote and protect the fundamental interests of the United States.

In this country, that might mean changes in the Charter which would afford preferential benefits to American political and commercial interests. I thought this colonial mentality went out with the lapse of the Parity Amendment. The US is already heavily invested in the promotion of such contentious and divisive policies as free trade and globalization in countries which remain unconvinced.

Constitutional questions such as the form of our government, foreign ownership of real property, interests in exploitation of natural resources, limits to foreign investment in certain industries, and many others, are complex enough. We don’t need foreign intrusion to muck up the debate.

This Venable contract is bad news. The timing of its revelation is exquisite. Maybe GMA just can’t get enough of political crisis. Or, with most top officials claiming ignorance of the lobbying deal, the government is still out for lunch and a long siesta.