Abalos again!!!???

[chua_riwap]

Walang karma-karma sa mga hinayupak na yan. Basta kumita sila ng malaki, di sila natatakot sa karma.

[carscout]

Originally Posted by oldblue
as a citizen, i really have no control over it since I'm not in the govt. involving the media is a big no no bec. it only brings more negativity to the issue .... na-renew lang ang distrust and despair of the people. ok na nga yun balita na na-convict si Erap. we're sending message to the whole world that " hey, it's okay to invest here. we are not a lawless nation. we can even put our President to jail in fact, we can even still put to trial an already exiled communist troublemaker in another country. "

You are sounding now like a government apologist Where is the check and balance here? Is it ok to be hypocritical about Erap and be indulgent with Gloria?

This exactly the kind of mind-set most of the middles classes have.. Just let them do it no matter what the cost as long as they can deliver the goods even if its overpriced. The danger in this is we are condoning corrupt practices at best; what will happen then is if they can get away with it, then they can get away with another. As a matter of fact, they have been getting away for a long time. Compare to what GMA and FG did and doing, Erap's plunder will look like peanuts. There will never be an end for the people in power to loot and drain our treasury and whittle it away through disguised projects if we keep turning a blind eye.

[Hanren]

You are sounding now like a government apologist Where is the check and balance here? Is it ok to be hypocritical about Erap and be indulgent with Gloria?

This exactly the kind of mind-set most of the middles classes have.. Just let them do it no matter what the cost as long as they can deliver the goods even if its overpriced. The danger in this is we are condoning corrupt practices at best; what will happen then is if they can get away with it, then they can get away with another. As a matter of fact, they have been getting away for a long time. Compare to what GMA and FG did and doing, Erap's plunder will look like peanuts. There will never be an end for the people in power to loot and drain our treasury and whittle it away through disguised projects if we keep turning a blind eye.

I think it'd be better if we straighten out things one at a time. Erap's conviction is a good sign for confidence in the Philippine justice system. But in the end, t was usually brought about by plain hard work on the part of prosecutors..

The public outcry about the NBN ZTE deal is another good sign that there are fiscalizers on board. It's good to take things in stride-collect the evidence, conduct senate hearings, etc so that the Republic can prosecute those who are guilty. It's counterproductive if these initiatives will be tainted with politics-cause na naman ito ng attempts at extra constitutional means to overthow the government.

But I personally smell something fishy in this deal. To those who understand the technology behind this deal, it has become the milking cow of corrupt politicians. Managot na dapat ang kelangang managot. But to point accusing fingers at this time at different people will only muddle up the effort to bring back justice to the Filipino people.

[IMm29]

Ang saya-saya! Why am I not surprised? With Abalos and a large-scale contract in the same sentence, the words "above-board" seem to be out of place. Fishy? Sure! It'll take a whale of a tale to cover his *$$ in this one. Then again, when more powerful people are covering it for him, then we've got a possible whitewash in the making.

Yes, with the current government we have, you cannot remove graft and corruption. It's there. It's rampant. It's, sadly, the norm. But what makes it worse is how blatant it is. The FG is at the center of another controversy again. How comforting for us taxpayers, for us citizens.

Sure, you can't remove graft and corruption, but you can control it. For the least bit, Mrs. President, you should control it. C'mon guys, she isn't the president for nothing. She can do it, or at least start to, if she wanted to. But it seems she's just happy waiting for her term to expire while her minions are doing the collection for her.

Interesting. GMA and Erap are in the same boat. Nga lang, Erap got caught. Tsk Tsk! I still believe in karma. They'll get theirs.

[mazdamazda]

Hmmm....

Before you guys start fighting over this, let's get the side of the other party as well.

Jumping to conclusions before getting all the evidences out in the open is well just premature judgement really and just leads to a trial by publicity (yet again).

The evidence by the anti-ZTE/NBN groups is just the testimony of one man, namely JDV III. The evidence must be built up properly if this is complaint is real and should be addressed in the proper venue.

DOTC: ZTE provides best package

The Department of Transportation and Communications on Thursday maintained that the national broadband network (NBN) contract was awarded to China’s ZTE Corp. because it “offered the best package in both the facility and cost” amid accusations that the deal is overpriced.

In a Powerpoint presentation, DOTC Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso III also stressed that the contract went through the procedures as required by law.

Formoso said for $329 million, ZTE will build a nationwide system that can serve the national and local governments down to sixth-class municipalities, government-owned and -controlled corporations and e-centers.

With regard to the proposal of US-based Arescom, Formoso said the American company has to spend $1 billion to provide the same coverage and service while Amsterdam Holdings Inc. (AHI) needs $562 million, the DOTC official added.

“ZTE's package would be fully funded by China's Export-Import Bank at three percent interest, payable [in] 20 years with no payments in the first five years. Arescom and AHI have no firm financing commitments and if they do it at commercial terms of upwards of six percent with no grace period, the cost would be far higher than ZTE's,” Formoso said.

He also vouched for ZTE's capability, noting that it has already established a “global name in building integrated telecoms systems” while Arescom and AHI “have no track record in such undertakings.”

Aside from Formoso, DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves attended the second hearing.

Other Cabinet officials who were not invited also showed up in the hearing to give “moral support” to the department chiefs who faced the panel. This prompted Sen. Manuel Roxas II to note that their presence could indicate that “this transaction really is toxic.”

“We have a situation where the entire government has probably come to a halt…. we have the whole government represented here. This situation really leads me to wonder what is so marvelous, what is wonderful about this transaction that the entire government has to come to a halt. Nonetheless, we welcome you and we look forward to a constructive hearing,” Roxas said.

The Senate began its inquiry on the NBN deal in aid of legislation Tuesday after allegations said that the contract between the Philippine government and ZTE is overpriced.

Critics also questioned the contract's approval without a public bidding and the move of the Philippine and Chinese governments to enter into a loan agreement to finance the project.

Accusations also swirled that Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. of the Commission on Elections received kickbacks and lavish gifts from ZTE officials for brokering the deal.

The COMELEC chief denied the charges.

Abalos was also invited to the hearing Thursday but he failed to appear in the inquiry. He, however, said he will attend the hearings next week.

[A121]

^^^ thanks m2 for posting that up.

I, too, am wary about the credibility of the statements made by JDV III.

[carscout]

^^^ thanks m2 for posting that up.

I, too, am wary about the credibility of the statements made by JDV III.

How about the credibility of Abalos, Mendoza and FG.. They do not strike me as someone whose statements are inspired with honesty..

If only the government was transparent with the NBN contract, people's sentiments wouldn't be so rushed to believe whatever JDV3 says...

Besides ang issue naman eh kung bakit overpriced ang ZTE deal, bakit sobrang laki ($130M)ng difference sa ibang bidders; bakit kung kailan malapit na election saka nagsign ng contract; bakit with a $360M contract signed, bigla na lang sasabihin na nawawala ang copy ng contract kaya hindi maipresent sa senate hearing; why a Commission on Election Chairman was actively involving himself in a Government Contract deal.. Too many inconsistencies..too many cover ups not to make any conclusion that 1+1=2.

"Social Justice is far more beneficial when applied as a matter of sentiment, and not of law." MLQ

[jpdm]

--Well, I rather trust JDVIII keysa sa DOTC. Common, its so obvious sa Senate hearing kanina especially nung nagtanong na sina Sen. Roxas at Sen. Escudero...may supply contract na e wala pang executive agreement? dapat may executive agreement muna bago supply contract. and wait.. di ba sa government procurement kailangan transparent at kailangan ng bidding?bakit wala?

--When asked about the merits of the deal, tinanong using cost benefit analysis, makaka-save ba ang government kung uutang ng ganun kalaki tapos babayaran ng ilan taon then after a few years obsolete na ang equipments? (this was asked by Sen. Aquino, Roxas). Walang masagot ang government panel. Kita sa camera napailing na lang si Teves.

--Local companies can do it. Without spending to much. The Senate hearing showed the stink of this ZTE-NBN project.

[jeffrocks]

Of all these bruhaha [NBN-ZTE]circus, napakamot na lang ng ulo si lacson,nawala na yung Doble case nya,pati si penguin nalimutan na yata...
hindi na rin nakafocus kay Abalos...kaninong Think-Thank kaya ito

[VtEC]

--Well, I rather trust JDVIII keysa sa DOTC. Common,

mas kapanipaniwala nga siguro itong si JVD3 kesa sa mga tauhan ni pandak at lalo na kay pandak noh..sino sino pa nga ba magcocover up sa nakawang nangyayari kundi yong mga magkakadikit.