Stories tagged
‘venerable llp’

Gloria's LobbyGate?

Government splurges millions on multiple, secret lobby contracts

SINCE it assumed office in 2001, the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has spent at least $3.7 million or P208 million in eight multiple, loosely monitored, and largely secret consultancy contracts for eight US-based lobby and law firms.

The controversial agreement with the law firm Venable LLP is only the latest contract that Mrs. Arroyo had authorized her Cabinet deputies to sign in the name of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.