Press Release
February 23, 2009

ROXAS: SENATE TO PURSUE WORLD BANK REPORT

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today said the Senate will pursue a copy of the World Bank (WB) report into the multilateral agency's investigation on rigging in its multi-billion peso road project in the Philippines.

"Mahalaga ang katotohanan. At itong report na ito ng World Bank ang susi sa pagresolba nitong iskandalo na nagbigay sa atin ng pambansang kahihiyan (The truth is important. And this report of World Bank is key to resolving this scandal that shamed the nation)," he said.

"Ako, kasama ang lahat ng mga senador, ay nagkakaisa na gawin ang lahat para malaman ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga alegasyong ito. Nakasalalay dito ang reputasyon ng mga Pilipino sa mata ng buong mundo (We senators are united in using all means to get to the bottom of this scandal. Our nation's reputation in the world is at stake here)," he stressed.

Roxas has been designated to preside over the Senate economic affairs committee that will be given the World Bank team's technical briefing for the Senate.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez told the Senate that she did not get the full report and received only a nine-page confidential summary of the World Bank's investigation into the issue, which is why she did not pursue her own investigation.

"Totoo man o hindi na hindi nakakuha ng kumpletong report ang Ombudsman, ang dapat nilang sagutin ay kung bakit hindi siya kumilos para tugisin ang mga kurakot na sangkot sa iskandalong ito (Whether or not the Ombudsman got a full report, they need to answer why her agency did not act to pursue the corrupt persons involved in this case)," he stressed.

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