Controversies involving First Gentleman Mike Arroyo
(Continuation)
* FG’s alleged receipt of jueteng payola*
During the same year, witnesses at the Senate hearings on jueteng claimed that First Gentleman Arroyo received protection money for the illegal numbers game. The First Gentleman denied the allegations and left the country momentarily to help “remove distractions and doubts from people’s minds” on President Arroyo’s ability to run the government. The Palace, then embattled with both the jueteng and “Hello Garci” controversies, dismissed the accusations against the First Gentleman as mere concoctions by those who wanted to oust the President.
* FG’s involvement in the Hello Garci scandal*
Still in 2005, a Marine brigade commander appeared at a Senate Hearing on the Hello Garci controversy and claimed that First Gentleman Arroyo delivered a huge amount of cash to Mindanao shortly before the 2004 elections. Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani cited information from an unnamed source that FG Arroyo flew to Mindanao twice in a private helicopter days before the 2004 elections to deliver P500 million in boxes. Gudani, who was detailed in Lanao during the 2004 elections, told senators that he witnessed vote-buying and other election irregularities in his area.
* FG’s alleged friend is involved in fertilizer fund scam*
In 2006, the Senate wrapped up a series of hearings on the fertilizer fund scam and concluded that First Gentleman Arroyo’s close friend and fellow Makati Rotarian, agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante diverted agricultural funds to the 2004 electoral campaign of President Arroyo.
* FG’s alleged multi-million dollar German bank account*
Later that year, then opposition Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that a member of the Arroyo family maintained a bank account in Germany amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. First Gentleman Arroyo flew to Germany and secured a certification from the bank to disprove Cayetano’s claims. Upon his return, he sought Cayetano’s expulsion from Congress.
* FG reportedly tells rival to “back off” from national broadband project*
The testimonies of Jose de Venecia III and Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. during the Senate hearings on the national broadband network project linked First Gentleman Arroyo to another multi-million dollar controversy. De Venecia III claimed that FG Arroyo told him to “back off” from the project, which eventually went to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. De Venecia III was a majority shareholder of one of the proponents of the NBN project. Lozada meanwhile claimed that Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos phoned “FG” to discuss the NBN project. Lozada also testified that Abalos, de Venecia III, and the First Gentleman met for dinner around the time that the ZTE execs were following up on the project.
* FG’s reported ties with construction firm that was blacklisted by the World Bank*
In January 2009, Sen. Panfilo Lacson linked FG Arroyo to a constructor blacklisted by the World Bank. Citing entries from an appointments book he claimed belonged to FG Arroyo, Sen. Lacson pointed out that the First Gentleman met with Eduardo de Luna of E. C. de Luna Construction Corp. several times. De Luna, who was debarred by World Bank for collusive practice in a national roads project, said in a Senate hearing that he did meet FG Arroyo a few times but denied that he and FG were close.
* FG’s alleged receipt of jueteng payola*
During the same year, witnesses at the Senate hearings on jueteng claimed that First Gentleman Arroyo received protection money for the illegal numbers game. The First Gentleman denied the allegations and left the country momentarily to help “remove distractions and doubts from people’s minds” on President Arroyo’s ability to run the government. The Palace, then embattled with both the jueteng and “Hello Garci” controversies, dismissed the accusations against the First Gentleman as mere concoctions by those who wanted to oust the President.
* FG’s involvement in the Hello Garci scandal*
Still in 2005, a Marine brigade commander appeared at a Senate Hearing on the Hello Garci controversy and claimed that First Gentleman Arroyo delivered a huge amount of cash to Mindanao shortly before the 2004 elections. Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani cited information from an unnamed source that FG Arroyo flew to Mindanao twice in a private helicopter days before the 2004 elections to deliver P500 million in boxes. Gudani, who was detailed in Lanao during the 2004 elections, told senators that he witnessed vote-buying and other election irregularities in his area.
* FG’s alleged friend is involved in fertilizer fund scam*
In 2006, the Senate wrapped up a series of hearings on the fertilizer fund scam and concluded that First Gentleman Arroyo’s close friend and fellow Makati Rotarian, agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante diverted agricultural funds to the 2004 electoral campaign of President Arroyo.
* FG’s alleged multi-million dollar German bank account*
Later that year, then opposition Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that a member of the Arroyo family maintained a bank account in Germany amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. First Gentleman Arroyo flew to Germany and secured a certification from the bank to disprove Cayetano’s claims. Upon his return, he sought Cayetano’s expulsion from Congress.
* FG reportedly tells rival to “back off” from national broadband project*
The testimonies of Jose de Venecia III and Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. during the Senate hearings on the national broadband network project linked First Gentleman Arroyo to another multi-million dollar controversy. De Venecia III claimed that FG Arroyo told him to “back off” from the project, which eventually went to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. De Venecia III was a majority shareholder of one of the proponents of the NBN project. Lozada meanwhile claimed that Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos phoned “FG” to discuss the NBN project. Lozada also testified that Abalos, de Venecia III, and the First Gentleman met for dinner around the time that the ZTE execs were following up on the project.
* FG’s reported ties with construction firm that was blacklisted by the World Bank*
In January 2009, Sen. Panfilo Lacson linked FG Arroyo to a constructor blacklisted by the World Bank. Citing entries from an appointments book he claimed belonged to FG Arroyo, Sen. Lacson pointed out that the First Gentleman met with Eduardo de Luna of E. C. de Luna Construction Corp. several times. De Luna, who was debarred by World Bank for collusive practice in a national roads project, said in a Senate hearing that he did meet FG Arroyo a few times but denied that he and FG were close.
Plunder
Ning panahon sa krisis ang mga Filipino halos sirado na og puno na sa nagkadaiyang anomaliya og korapsyon sa gobyermno. Kung usa ka sa mga dunay dakong pagpakabana sa kaayuhan sa kinatibok-ang nasud og katawhang Filipino, dili kalikayan ang madismaya sa klase-klaseng kontrobersiya nga salamin sa kadunot sa sestema sa gobyerno ilabina ang kaubos sa matang sa kridibilidad og dignidad sa kadaghanang mga opisyal sa gobyerno. Isip usa ka government official matag usa naglantaw og nagsalig kanimo isip tinugyanan sa pagdumala sa renda sa panggamhanan nga walay laing tumong mao ang pagpanghingosog alang sa kalambuan sa sosyudad sa tanang aspeto hinungdan nga bansagan sila isip mga halangdong opisyal.
Sa kasamtangang sitwasyon sa atong byurokrasya angayan pa kaha natong tawgon nga Honorable ang atong mga opisyal? Hinuon dili tanan kanila ang dunay hugaw nga mga agenda sa pagpangatungdanan gumikna kay taliwala sa mga tentasyon, duna pa gihapoy mga halangdon nga atong makonsidera sa kasamtangan. Usa sa mga kontrobersiya nga naghatag og dakong kadismaya sa mga Pilipino, mao ang Fertilizer fund scam nga gilambigitan ni kanhi Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc Joc” Bolante. Daw teleserye na sa telebisyon ang dagan sa imbestigasyon sa eskandalo sa duha ka balay balauranan sa kongreso. Ang maong isyu daw gigamit nang hinagiban sa mga kingresista og senador aron mapa-abante ang ilang tagsa-tagsa ka kaugalingong interes og tinaguang tumong ilabina nga nagkadauol na ang 2010 elections.
Ang daw walay katapusan nga pagpasikat sa mga magbabalaud sa imbestigasyon kang Bolante og uban pang personalidad nga nalambigit sa kontrobersiya, wala na nalipay ang mga Filipino pagpaminaw sa mga pagpangulipas og pagpanghimakak og mga palusot sa mga responsable og klarong pagpasikat sa mga nag-imbestiga. Sama sa usa ka teleserye sa telebisyon nga angayang matapos gilayon , angayan nang tapuson sa senado sa way kapaingnan nga imbestigasyon. Aron masukod ang gibug-aton sa baka og kamatuoran nga naglibot sa maong kontrobersiya, angayan nang pasakaan og tukmang kaso ang mga responsable pagbulsa sa halos usa ka bilyon ka pesos nga pondo alang unta sa kaayuhan sa mga mag-uuma sa nasud.
Si Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Richard Gordon nakahukom nang irekomenda ang pagpasaka og kasong plunder batok kang Bolante nga maoy utok sa fertilizer fund scam. Tukma lamang ang maong desisyon sa Senador gumikan kay halos tanang ebidensya nga na-presentar sa serye sa imbestigasyon sa Senado sa nasangpit nga kontrobersiya nagpakita nga dako kaayo ang nahimong papel ni Bolante sa pagbulsa sa nahisgutang pondo ingo man niadtong posibleng nakadawat pa sa maong pondo. Klarong dili tinuod ang unang gi-insister ni Bolante nga ang gihimo lamang niini mao ang pag-download sa kuwarta sa mga DA regional directors alang sa farm inputs-farm implement program a ahensya.
Tin-aw kaayo ang pamahayag sa mga DA regional directors nga mismong si Bolante ang mitawag kanila aron mag-follow up sa nahisgutang proyekto og dunay mga dokomentong nagpakita sa piniling mga LGU nga makapahimulos unta sa maong proyekto. Samtang si Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile gustong kasuhan og perjury ang bagman nag si Jimmy Paule human pipila ka beses kining namalibad nga dili matud pa niya kaila ang mga testigo sa fertilizer fund bisan og nakita sa litrato nga kauban sila sa usa ka party. Klaro kaayo sa gihimong imbestigasyon nga dunay panagkonsabo tali nila ni Paule, Leonicia Llanera, Marilyn Araos og Marites Aytona aron mabulsa ang kuwarta sa katawhan ilabina nga gibaligya og overprice ang nahisgutang abono sa gobyerno.
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