Ex-Palace aides call for suspension of execs linked to ZTE anomaly

March 4, 2008

Former Cabinet secretaries from four adminstrations held a press conference yesterday, calling on President Arroyo to suspend Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso for their involvement in the ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) contract.

They also asked the President to suspend Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, PNP Director General Avelino Razon, Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite, Deputy NAIA chief Angel Atutubo, Sr. Supt. Paul Mascariñas and all those allegedly involved in the attempt to prevent Senate witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada from testifying.

This is apart from the call for Mrs. Arroyo to fully “cooperate” in the ongoing probe in the Senate, earlier urging her to revoke Executive Order 464 and allow former National Economic Developmetn Authority (Neda) chief Romulo Neri to testify before the Senate.

The former Cabinet officials gave Mrs. Arroyo one week to act on their demands, but the new group calling itself the Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) yesterday challenged Mrs. Arroyo to prove her sincerity in her anti-corruption drive by acceding to their five-point demand.

At a press briefing held at the historic Club Filipino, former Sen. Vicente Paterno recalled that recently, Mrs. Arroyo in one of her speeches, reiterated her staunch opposition to corruption.

“The people are angry at corruption. So am I. I am also angry at corruption,” he quoted her as saying.

He added “We affirm the first sentence but we ask that the second sentence be demonstrated in action.”

To demonstrate clearly her action against corruption, Paterno said “the President can take the following actions which can be reasonably done within the week: Order Neri to resume his testimony before the Senate investigation without any restrictions or limitations; 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; Suspend the officials whose agency was the lead for this project; the suspension of officials who were alleged to be involved in the abduction of Lozada and in their attempts to prevent Lozada from testifying; and Order a halt on any further attempts by the DoJ, DENR, NBI and BIR to harass Lozada and those who are testifying in congressional investigations on corruption charges.

“This government should serve for the good of the public rather than personal interest,” said Paterno who had the opportunity to serve under three presidents, the late Ferdinand Marcos, Cory Aquino and Joseph Estrada and Mrs. Arroyo. “This government should serve the truth.”

Another member of the FGSO, former Civil Service Commission chief Karina David said one week is enough for the President to act on their demand.

“If she does not heed our demand, then this group will meet again next week and come up with an in-depth analysis on the situation before coming out with our next course of action,” David said.

“But then, miracles can still happen.”

However, David emphasized the FSGO, composed of at least 62 former senior government officials including former Central Bank Governor Jose Cuisia, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Education Secretary Butch Abad among others, does not prioritize calls for the President’s resignation.

David noted that the purpose of the group is to rebuild and strengthen the democratic institutions.

However, individually, some members of the group are calling for President Arroyo’s ouster.

Malacañang yesterday questioned the right of former government officials and Cabinet members from issuing a manifesto of conditions and demands to President Arroyo.

Asked for reaction, both Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol said the group must be ignored because its members are only pursuing their own interest against the Arroyo administration.

“They just want to weaken the government,” Ermita said in a chance interview.

Apostol added that the ex-Cabinet members have no right to issue such conditions because they blew the opportunity to serve the government before

“That’s the most unfair statement I heard… They had their chance before, leave things to us today,” Apostol said.

The signatories of the manifesto include former education secretary Florencio Abad; former budget secretaries Emilia Boncodin and Benjamin Diokno; former Civil Service commission chairperson Karina Constantino-David; former executive secretary and former senator Franklin Drilon; former Neda secretary general Cielito Habito, among others. Charlie V. Manalo and Sherwin C. Olaes

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