he search for
truth in the overpriced NBN broadband deal should not be coupled with the
"political demand for resignation" is the latest Malacañang line. If one has
just landed from Mars, the demand does sound reasonable, consistent with Gloria
Arroyo’s defense that hearsay does not constitute evidence, much less do
allegations amount to facts.
But why in heaven’s name has Gloria been blocking the search
for the truth since the allegations of bribery in the NBN deal surfaced?
What are the specific allegations? That the $329 million NBN
deal was grossly overpriced. That the amount corresponding to the overprice was
to go to the local brokers in the deal. That among the brokers was former
elections chairman Benjamin Abalos. That Mike Arroyo sought to bully a competing
bidder for the project in the person of Joey de Venecia to drop the latter’s
proposal. That established government policies and procedures were overturned to
accommodate the transaction. That Gloria, with her husband, directed the former
planning secretary to approve the deal despite the anomalies that had been
brought to her attention.
What is the biggest suspicion that at the moment could not be
established by credible testimony but is strongly suggested by the turn of
events? That Gloria and Mike were part of the "greedy group" that stood to gain
considerable money had the project pushed through.
Leaving aside the suspicion that Gloria and Mike had a hand
in the deal, if not on top of it, why is it then that Gloria has been moving
heaven and earth to block the testimony of high government officials and the
release of documents that would either confirm or refute the first set of
allegations which, to repeat, do not, on the face of it, incriminate her and her
husband at all?
That’s why the search for truth cannot be decoupled from the
call for Gloria’s resignation. She has been the one standing in the way of
uncovering the whole truth about the dirty $329 million. And until she abandons
her stonewalling or is brought down from power, then there is no way the truth
can be uncovered.
That’s one point. The other is the possibility (likelihood?)
that she and Mike indeed were part of the criminal syndicate which sought to
burden the taxpayer with a $329 million debt for a commission of $130 to $150
million.
Either way, it’s perfectly all right to demand Gloria’s
resignation and if she refuses to do so, to throw her out of office.
Elementary, Dr. Watson.
