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The truth is out of the bag. The much-awaited
confrontation between Neri and Abalos (all of us now are on a
first-name basis) did not disappoint. Neri categorically stated that
he was offered 200. Given the magnitude of the NBN deal at $329
million, it could not have been P200 or P200,000. (Was it $200
million perhaps.) This much is undisputed. It also somehow
corroborates the earlier story of Joey. What happens next?
There are talks of impeachment—Comelec
commissioners are impeachable officials under the Constitution.
There is a possible criminal case for violation of R.A. No. 3019 or
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Has anyone laid the case
for plunder? Whatever the nature of the case and whichever fora it
is filed, what is the evidentiary threshold? Erap had his former
ally and then smoking gun witness Chavit. There was the bank funds
under Mr. Velarde and of course the white sands of Boracay.
Otherwise, it will be a test of the credibility of witnesses—a
case of your word against mine, of allegations and denials. Note
that there is no statement on the actual exchange or transfer of
monies or any paper or document trail—yet.
Ranged on opposite sides is
Joe’s son. How ironic and how small a world it really is that of
all the people in the Philippines, it had to be the son of the third
highest ranking public official of the country to blow the whistle
and who happens to be a losing bidder to the project (of course this
begs the question of who really won the contract). The layers of
contradiction will need a bulldozer or bottles of beer to work over.
Then there is Neri, a most
competent and professional manager. Everyone was counting on him to
tell the truth and he did. Intestinal flu or trip to America,
nothing and no one was to stop him from telling his side. I missed
it but did he say why he was transferred to CHED?
The other witnesses, if any, will
just add the other details. Can we subpoena ZTE officials while they
are clambering up the Great Wall? This seems to be the next obvious
and logical step to take if at all doable. And let’s not forget
the bank officials. Let’s keep at the truth.
Abalos finishes his term in 2008.
By then he will be a private citizen who will have to face the music
if played. Four other commissioners will be appointed before 2010.
The answer still remains in automated elections. This is the truth.
To be fair, the on-going Senate
investigation is sober and more circumspect than the previous ones.
Grandstanding has come down and one can quickly tell if a senator is
his worth his balls and his votes. In any profession, diligent study
and untiring dedication is still key. Inquiry in aid of legislation
is taking shape in trying to get to the elusive truth. What are the
laws that are up for amendment or for deliberation and eventual
passage after this controversy blows over? I remember this as a
requirement from the Supreme Court. We need to dam the parameters of
congressional investigation in order not to reduce it to a platform
for campaign. We are dealing with the truth here.
Surely, this is not the biggest
that the present administration has faced and will weather. The
documentation is still in the MOU (understanding) and MOA
(agreement) stage, meaning it still has not been executed. It would
have been a totally different scenario if the project were already
implemented. The implications are obvious enough.
The moment of truth is here and
may have just passed. What happens next is the 200 million-peso
question.
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