Five demands and a one-week deadline

“ANG taumbayan galit sa katiwalian. Ganoon din ako, galit din ako sa katiwalian (The people are outraged by corruption in government. Like them, I am also outraged by corruption),” declared Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on national radio a few weeks ago to finally air her side on the national broadband network scandal that has been rocking her presidency, generating renewed calls for her resignation.

But to many former senior government officials who served in various capacities under the administrations of former Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, and Joseph Estrada, Arroyo’s pronouncements do not seem to be matched by serious efforts to stamp out corruption in government, citing her belated cancellation of the $329-million NBN project despite being advised of “anomalies” in the contract.

Over dzRH, Arroyo said she had the $329-million NBN project awarded to the Chinese firm, ZTE Corporation, “immediately” cancelled after she was told of alleged irregularities on the eve of her trip to China to witness the contract signing. She explained that she had to make the trip in consideration of the country’s diplomatic ties with China, despite the critical condition of her husband, the First Gentleman, who just underwent an open-heart surgery.

But the project’s cancellation came only on October 2, 2007, six months after she admitted being told of its alleged irregularities — though Trade Secretary Peter Favila premised the delay on the five months it took him to convince Chinese officials of the decision to scrap the NBN project. Initially, Arroyo only had it indefinitely suspended on September 22, 2007, attributing her decision more to the “political noise” hounding the project. A “discreet” investigation Arroyo apparently ordered dismissed the allegations of bribery, including the one made by former poll chief Benjamin Abalos Sr. on then socioeconomic and planning secretary Romulo Neri, as “uncorroborated.”

Yesterday, the same group of ex-Cabinet and government officials who issued a statement two weeks ago calling on their colleagues in the Arroyo government to come forward and go public about anomalous transactions and corruption, has laid down five demands to be complied with within one week. These include the following:

• for Neri to resume his testimony before the Senate investigation without any restrictions or limitations;

• release and delivery to the Senate of all public records pertaining to the NBN deal, primarily the minutes of the NEDA Board meetings on the project;

• suspension of Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso, whose department was the the lead agency for the NBN project;

• suspension of all government officials involved in the attempt to prevent Lozada from testifying in the Senate, including Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon, Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite, airport deputy chief Angel Atutubo, and Senior Supt. Paul Mascariñas; and

• halt on any further attempts by government agencies as the Department of Justice, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Internal Revenue to harass Lozada and other whistleblowers.

“The President must now follow through with actions to determine the actual ‘anomalies’ and establish responsibility for these,” the group said in a statement. “Otherwise, canceling the contract could be interpreted as an effort to cover up corruption rather than to pin it down and root it out.”

In explaining their demands, former education secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad said that “it’s just the normal course of things for one who is serious about addressing this problem,” pointing out in particular to the suspension of officials implicated in the NBN project and the alleged abduction of Lozada.

But government’s response, Abad noted, has been largely to cover up the truth and to harass witnesses like Lozada. He said Arroyo’s commitment to the truth would be demonstrated by her actions on their demands.

“(Arroyo) must do these or be condemned as complicit with, and in fact, as being at the center of, the lies surrounding the NBN-ZTE deal,” the groups’ statement added.

Meanwhile, Malacañang has already rejected the call to have the concerned government officials suspended, saying that their acts were “done with the presumption of regularity.” Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo also said that they deserve the chance to defend themselves in the proper forum, referring to investigations already being conducted by the justice department and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Below is the statement of the former senior government officials (or download it here):

Government Should Serve the Truth

We are former senior government officials who have served the government in the administrations of Presidents Marcos, Aquino, Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo. Today we see how the institutions of government are being manipulated, weakened, and corrupted. We are committed to help rebuild and strengthen the government institutions in which we worked to serve the public good rather than personal and partisan interests.

Our people can only trust a government that governs with truth. We grant government so much power over our lives, resources and shared future because it governs with truth. When there are serious doubts about government’s adherence to truth in matters of vital public interest, no real peace or substantive unity is possible until such doubts are resolved. We cannot move on without the truth.

We are now in the midst of great disturbance because we doubt the truth behind the NBN-ZTE deal. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had belatedly cancelled the contract because of reported “anomalies.” Hence, most Filipinos reasonably conclude that corruption tainted this deal. For several months now at the hearings of the Senate investigation, we have all seen disturbing glimpses of the truth about alleged corruption that attended the NBN-ZTE deal. We are outraged by what we have seen thus far.

The President said recently: “Ang taumbayan galit sa katiwalian. Ganoon din ako, galit din ako sa katiwalian.” We affirm the first sentence. We ask that the second sentence be demonstrated in action. Having belatedly cancelled the contract to show her supposed anger with reported corruption in this deal, the President must now follow through with actions to determine the actual “anomalies” and establish responsibility for these. Otherwise, canceling the contract could be interpreted as an effort to cover up corruption rather than to pin it down and root it out.

Government should serve the truth and the President should act immediately and decisively to enable the truth to emerge.

The most credible forum thus far to establish the truth behind the NBN-ZTE controversy is the Senate investigation that has persevered in seeking facts and witnesses. The Senate is a functioning democratic institution that can help the people recognize the truth about this divisive matter. We thus call on the President to cooperate fully with the Senate and stop denigrating it so that its investigation can be completed as soon as possible. In particular, we ask the President to lead in showing government’s commitment to the truth by taking the following actions which can reasonably be done
within one week:

• First, order acting Chair Romulo Neri to resume his testimony before the Senate investigation without any restrictions or limitations;

• Second, order the release and delivery to the Senate of all public records pertaining to the NBN-ZTE deal, starting with the minutes of the NEDA Board meetings on the project;

• Third, suspend DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso, as the DOTC was the lead agency for this project;

• Fourth, suspend DENR Secretary Lito Atienza, PNP Director General Avelino Razon, Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite, Deputy NAIA Chief Angel Atutubo, Senior Supt. Paul Mascarinas and all those involved in the attempt to prevent Senate witness Jun Lozada from testifying; and

• Fifth, order a halt on any further attempts by such agencies as the DOJ, DENR, NBI and BIR to harass Senate witness Jun Lozada and those who are testifying in behalf of the truth.

The Filipino people can make democratic institutions work to fight corruption by even the most powerful people in our midst. We can do this based on the power of reason and the power of the people’s communal action. We deserve a government that governs with truth.

The President must demonstrate her commitment to the truth through these actions within one week as more and more of our people make their judgment. She must do these or be condemned as complicit with, and in fact, as being at the center of, the lies surrounding the NBN-ZTE deal.

The President must do these or the people will make their judgment and act on the basis of their conviction.

Signed by:

1. Florencio Abad (Former Secretary, Department of Education)
2. Tomas Africa, (Former Administrator, National Statistics Office)
3. Roberto Ansaldo (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture)
4. Senen Bacani (Former Secretary, Department of Agriculture)
5. Angelito Banayo (Former Secretary, Political Affairs)
6. Romeo Bernardo (Former Undersecretary, Department of Finance)
7. Emilia Boncodin (Former Secretary, Department of Budget and Management)
8. Gerardo Bulatao (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agrarian Reform)
9. Clifford Burkley (Former Undersecretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development)
10. Sostenes Campillo, Jr. (Former Undersecretary, Department of Tourism)
11. Isagani Cruz (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education)
12. Jose Cuisia, Jr. (Former Governor, Central Bank of the Philippines)
13. Col. Guillermo Cunanan (Ret.) (Former General Manager, Manila International Airport)
14. Karina Constantino-David (Former Chair, Civil Service Commission)
15. Teresita Quintos Deles (Former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process)
16. Edgardo del Fonso (Former Head, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management)
17. Benjamin Diokno (Former Secretary, Department of Budget and Management)
18. Quintin Doromal, Sr. (Former Commissioner, Presidential Commission on Good Governance)
19. Franklin Drilon (Former Executive Secretary)
20. Narcisa Escaler (Former Ambassador to the United Nations)
21. Evangeline Escobillo (Former Commissioner, Insurance Commission)
22. Jesus Estanislao (Former Secretary, Department of Finance)
23. Victoria Garchitorena (Former Head, Presidential Management Staff)
24. Jose Luis Gascon (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education)
25. Marietta Goco (Former Chair, Presidential Commission to Fight Poverty)
26. Jose Antonio Gonzalez (Former Secretary, Department of Tourism)
27. Milwida Guevara (Former Undersecretary, Department of Finance)
28. Cielito Habito (Former Director-General, National Economic Development Authority)
29. Edilberto de Jesus Jr. (Former Secretary, Department of Education)
30. Lina Laigo (Former Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development)
31. Ernest Leung (Former Secretary, Department of Finance)
32. Josefina Lichauco (Former Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications)
33. Narzalina Lim (Former Secretary, Department of Tourism)
34. Juan Miguel Luz (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education)
35. Jose Molano Jr. (Former Executive Director, Commission on Filipinos Overseas)
36. Vitaliano Nañagas (Former Chair, Development Bank of the Philippines)
37. Conrado Navarro (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agrarian Reform)
38. Imelda Nicolas (Former Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission)
39. Vicente Paterno (Former Minister, Ministry of Trade and Industry)
40. Pete Prado (Former Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications)
41. Cesar Purisima (Former Secretary, Department of Finance)
42. Victor Ramos (Former Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources)
43. Amina Rasul (Former Presidential Advisor on Youth Affairs and Concurrent Chair, National Youth Commission)
44. Rodolfo Reyes (Former Press Secretary)
45. Walfrido Reyes (Former Undersecretary, Department of Tourism)
46. Alberto Romualdez Jr. (Former Secretary, Department of Health)
47. Albert del Rosario (Former Ambassador to the United States of America)
48. Francisco del Rosario (Former Chair, Development Bank of the Philippines)
49. Ramon del Rosario (Former Secretary, Department of Finance)
50. Melito Salazar (Former Member of the Monetary Board, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas)
51. Antonio Salvador (Former Undersecretary, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process)
52. Leticia Ramos-Shahani (Former Undersecretary, Department of Foreign Affairs)
53. Cesar Sarino (Former Secretary, Department of Interior and Local Government)
54. Juan Santos (Former Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry)
55. Corazon Juliano-Soliman (Former Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development)
56. Hector Soliman (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agrarian Reform)
57. Mario Taguiwalo (Former Undersecretary, Department of Health)
58. Jaime Galvez Tan (Former Secretary, Department of Health)
59. Ricardo Tan (Former Head, Philippine Deposit Insurance Commission)
60. Wigberto Tañada (Former Commissioner, Bureau of Customs)
61. V. Bruce Tolentino (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture)
62. Veronica Villavicencio (Former Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission)
63. Deogracias Vistan (Former President, Land Bank of the Philippines)