Press Release
November 12, 2009

Pia doubts Puno's claim he investigated NBN-ZTE bribe

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today expressed "serious doubts" on the claim of Malacañang and Interior and Local Government secretary Ronaldo Puno that the latter had promptly ordered an investigation into the NBN-ZTE bribery mess upon the instruction of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sometime in April 2007.

It should be recalled that as early as September 2007, Malacañang officials claimed that the President had ordered a "discreet" investigation. However, at the September 26, 2007 Senate hearing on the controversial contract, Cayetano asked all the principal players in the NBN-ZTE contract whether they had been questioned or been the subject of Malacanang's supposed "discreet" investigation in relation to Neri's bribery revelation.

Surprisingly, the principal players present, including Secretary Neri and Chairman Abalos themselves, said that none of them were aware or were investigated as part of the Palace's "discreet" probe of the bribery attempt.

Other resource persons present at the hearing, upon questioning by Cayetano, also said under oath that they were never investigated by the Palace in relation to the bribe attempt.

They included DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Finance Undersecretary Roberto Tan, former Chairman of Commission on Information and Communications Technology Ramon Sales, Associate Secretary of Telecommunications Office Atty Lorenzo Formoso III, and even Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico, and Amsterdam Holdings Inc. Chair Jose "Joey" De Venecia, and journalist Jarius Bondoc, who made the first expose on the ZTE deal.

"Then and now, I seriously doubt if there was a genuine investigation."

"If a real investigation was indeed initiated by Sec. Puno then, then how come none of the principal players behind the deal were asked or consulted about the investigation, including former economic planning secretary Romulo Neri himself and Chairman Abalos?"

"There's reason to believe that this so-called investigation instigated by Puno is all a sham and did not take place at all, "she concluded.

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