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By Sam Mediavilla, Reporter
Malacañang senior officials on
Friday belied reports that the some members of the Commission on
Appointment had asked for bribes from Cabinet officials seeking
confirmation.
Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita said the disclosure of Negros Oriental Rep. Herminio Teves
was new to him.
Ermita said that in the three
confirmation hearings he had gone through he was never asked for a
bribe.
Presidential Spokesman Ignacio
Bunye said he, too, never experienced any extortion.
Teves claimed congressmen who sat
in the CA demanded P5 million for the confirmation of his son,
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves.
Bunye said it was not
“illegal” for lawmakers to ask favors from Cabinet members as
long as it is not a condition for their confirmation.
Ermita said that if there were
any illegal acts committed by CA members the Cabinet officials
concerned could have informed the Office of the President about it.
“There is no complainant yet. I
don’t if this has to exposed first to the public, if it’s really
true, but from what I seat, at my level, everything is normal,”
Ermita said in a telephone interview.
He added that at present he would
prefer that the issue be resolved by the House and the Senate.
Bunye challenged the Committee on
Ethics of the two chambers to look into the allegations of Teves.
He likewise agreed that the
allegations of extortion in the CA were serious and should not be
taken for granted, but “we would like to throw back the ball.”
Ermita said that while we was
eager to find out the truth, he was giving Teves the benefit of the
doubt until the allegations have been investigated by the
appropriate body.
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