|
An ally of President Gloria denied Sunday claims he brokered a
lucrative telecommunications contract now at the center of a
corruption scandal engulfing the government.
Former Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. of the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) said he was preparing a major
libel case—worth about P100 million to P200 million—against
Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr., a government official who claimed on
Friday that he and Mrs. Arroyo’s husband stood to earn kickbacks
from the deal.
“Don’t you find this fantastic,
incredible?” Abalos told a press conference, referring to
Lozada’s evidence to a Senate hearing investigating the scandal.
Abalos said he had no power to influence a
government business deal, describing Lozada’s testimony as
“fabricated.”
The deal was a $330-million project awarded to
Chinese firm ZTE to put up a nationwide broadband network for the
Philippine government.
The contract has since been scrapped amid
allegations of bribery and corruption involving senior government
officials and the President’s husband, lawyer Jose Miguel
“Mike” Arroyo.
Lozada, an electronics engineer brought in to
assess the deal, said he was told by his superior to reduce the
kickbacks to President Arroyo’s allies and to “moderate their
greed.”
He said Abalos had told him “you have to
protect our 130 [million dollars]” in kickbacks that the ex-poll
chief stood to earn in the deal.
He added that Abalos had threatened to kill him,
and he initially did not want to speak out, fearing for his life.
Abalos, a close friend of the President’s
husband, was forced to resign last October as Comelec chief over the
scandal.
On Sunday, Abalos appealed to the Senate to take
the broadband issue to the court or to the Ombudsman. But he added
that he is willing to appear again before the Senate if needed even
if his first appearance was far from cordial.
“We are preparing an affidavit complaint
against him [Lozada],” said Salvador Panelo, a lawyer for Abalos.
“We will sue him for libel based on his testimony imputing a crime
against Mr. Abalos.”
“We will also file a case of perjury against
him because he lied under oath [in the Senate].”
The Palace had tried to distance itself from the
scandal, but has since said the deal was above board and accused
Lozada of lying.
Analysts have warned that Lozada’s testimony
could lead to further political instability in the Philippines.
President Arroyo has survived two coup attempts
against her and three impeachment attempts in Congress from to
persistent allegations of corruption in her government.
-- AFP With William Depasupil
|
