The ZTE-NBN deal report will be released very, very soon. And I got the chance to peek at the report.
Tsk,tsk,tsk. It's a revelation.
First off, whoever wrote the report is very brave. It's straight-forward. It tells it like it is. It is revelatory. And it will shock the entire Philippines.
Second, it specifically points out the culprits. There were no saints, only villains. It tells it like it is---the ZTE-NBN deal is one made for everyone involved to profit at the expense of the Filipino taxpayer. In the Ombusman report, some people were exempted from charges of collusion and graft; in this report, everyone, including the First Family, was charged. Cool.
Lastly, I just hope that when that momentous day comes, when the Public finally realizes who were at fault and who really profitted from this multi-billion peso deal, they (and I am referring to the right government agencies) will do the right thing and file all those charges in court. Let those who really wanted to get a fast buck out of this deal suffer the full force of the law.
It's already 11:06 pm. Time to sleep. Tomorrow, I'll write another entry about this deal.
Showing posts with label zte bribery deal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zte bribery deal. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Chinese invasion of RP
Palace factotums are quick to say that the ZTE scandal is a small matter. Why? Because the palace already killed it before it would even affect us. The DBM Secretary was quick to point out during the senate hearings last year that the project does not have any allocations in the budget and therefore, he says, can't be deemed to be detrimental to all of us.
Sure. The ZTE is technically, not in effect yet, therefore, there's no harm done. Yeah.
The secretary is telling us a half-truth. There's already harm done. First, hours of meetings spent by government officials talking with the ZTE and Chinese officials were all paid for by public money, including of course, that infamous trip by Arroyo to Boao. Second, a strained diplomatic relations with China could cost us millions of dollars' worth of lost investments. Third, the effects in the business community. How on earth would we now turn this despicable episode into a positive promotions for us when the palace itself is leading the corruption of our entire society?
Remember that the palace has just declared this project suspended, not entirely scrapped. At this point, government is still pursuing the NBN project under a new name and a new guise--the NGN project. ZTE's hands are still evident since these local telcos would still use ZTE equipment in running this project. Remember that telcos has admitted that they use ZTE telecommunications equipment in their operations. The reason why ZTE remains silent now is because they know that, when the dust settles, they will still gain from all of these. Government will still pay them multi-million dollars' worth for the technical equipment they will be supplying to the Philippine government.
Why is it that Filipinos should oppose ZTE's role in the NGN project
Like what Senator Honasan pointed out, why would this administration allow an enemy like China to control the levers of our government? Have DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza realize the security implications of this? Imagine, China knowing the access codes of our governmental system! What if the Spratlys issue suddenly thrust the Philippines into a war with China? How would government function effectively when all of its computer networks are controlled by Chinese, much less, members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)? Sources say, the ZTE people are legitimate members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
I am, admittedly a Maoist. But my Maoism ends when my nationalism begins. I cannot, in my entire soul, hand over the security of this country to another foreign power, especially China whom I consider as a competitor in the global market. Yes, the old China provided us with the ideological direction years ago. But, this is NOT enough for us to agree that we hand over our sovereignty to them since China is also a claimant in the Spratlys.
The ZTE deal is just a front of China to finally and slowly conquer the Philippines. Why is the Philippines so strategic for the Chinese? One, our natural resources. We have an inexhaustible supply of coal and natural gas which China needs to satisfy its power requirements. Two, our market. We have at least 90 million consumers of cheap Chinese products. And three, our real estate. We have enormous tracts of land which the Chinese needs to expand its operations beyond its borders.
The Chinese can't do it in Malaysia nor Indonesia nor Singapore. For China, it needs another country which is susceptible enough like ours to expand its neo-capitalist operations.
Sure. The ZTE is technically, not in effect yet, therefore, there's no harm done. Yeah.
The secretary is telling us a half-truth. There's already harm done. First, hours of meetings spent by government officials talking with the ZTE and Chinese officials were all paid for by public money, including of course, that infamous trip by Arroyo to Boao. Second, a strained diplomatic relations with China could cost us millions of dollars' worth of lost investments. Third, the effects in the business community. How on earth would we now turn this despicable episode into a positive promotions for us when the palace itself is leading the corruption of our entire society?
Remember that the palace has just declared this project suspended, not entirely scrapped. At this point, government is still pursuing the NBN project under a new name and a new guise--the NGN project. ZTE's hands are still evident since these local telcos would still use ZTE equipment in running this project. Remember that telcos has admitted that they use ZTE telecommunications equipment in their operations. The reason why ZTE remains silent now is because they know that, when the dust settles, they will still gain from all of these. Government will still pay them multi-million dollars' worth for the technical equipment they will be supplying to the Philippine government.
Why is it that Filipinos should oppose ZTE's role in the NGN project
Like what Senator Honasan pointed out, why would this administration allow an enemy like China to control the levers of our government? Have DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza realize the security implications of this? Imagine, China knowing the access codes of our governmental system! What if the Spratlys issue suddenly thrust the Philippines into a war with China? How would government function effectively when all of its computer networks are controlled by Chinese, much less, members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)? Sources say, the ZTE people are legitimate members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
I am, admittedly a Maoist. But my Maoism ends when my nationalism begins. I cannot, in my entire soul, hand over the security of this country to another foreign power, especially China whom I consider as a competitor in the global market. Yes, the old China provided us with the ideological direction years ago. But, this is NOT enough for us to agree that we hand over our sovereignty to them since China is also a claimant in the Spratlys.
The ZTE deal is just a front of China to finally and slowly conquer the Philippines. Why is the Philippines so strategic for the Chinese? One, our natural resources. We have an inexhaustible supply of coal and natural gas which China needs to satisfy its power requirements. Two, our market. We have at least 90 million consumers of cheap Chinese products. And three, our real estate. We have enormous tracts of land which the Chinese needs to expand its operations beyond its borders.
The Chinese can't do it in Malaysia nor Indonesia nor Singapore. For China, it needs another country which is susceptible enough like ours to expand its neo-capitalist operations.
Friday, February 8, 2008
A Confluence of Forces
Malacanang is trying very hard to justify the lies it has been peddling to justify the abduction of Lozada. Obviously, these officials committed a grave blunder which could cause the downfall of this administration.
It is quite obvious that it was a forcible act of the police officers to prevent Lozada from exercising his rights. Questions arise:
1. Why is it that the police officers were able to form a team which includes a lawyer that soon? Obviously, the team which got Lozada from the airport was instructed a few days prior to Lozada's return to the country.
2. Why is it that police did not immediately take Lozada to the senate? Everybody knows that the Senate issued a warrant of arrest against Lozada. Why is it that police did not immediately execute the contempt charge of the senate?
Whatever Razon says about this thing, one fact remains: they really committed a grievous mistake. They are saying that Lozada was not kidnapped. What are the elements which constitute kidnapping? One of the requisites of the crime is the forcible act which prevents an individual from exercising or enjoying his basic rights. At the time of the incident, relatives of Lozada was not able to communicate with him. The PNP was just forced to take Lozada to DLSU Greenhills because of extreme public pressure and probably, when the palace realized that the public already knew of their plans and it was turning to be a fiasco.
What is certain is this:
1. Because of this incident, forces once disunited, have now merged together to again, threaten the security of the state. There's a catch here: if these forces fail to wrest power from Arroyo for the last time, they will find themselves totally marginalized and rendered inutile in the next few years. Any movement now against Arroyo should be extremely cautious and calculated.
Announcement: those who feel obligated as true Filipinos should take part in today's Black Friday mass mobilizations. Civil society groups are planning some activities today to denounce this incident. My take on this is: I am now in lifestyle. Politics in this country sucks.
It is quite obvious that it was a forcible act of the police officers to prevent Lozada from exercising his rights. Questions arise:
1. Why is it that the police officers were able to form a team which includes a lawyer that soon? Obviously, the team which got Lozada from the airport was instructed a few days prior to Lozada's return to the country.
2. Why is it that police did not immediately take Lozada to the senate? Everybody knows that the Senate issued a warrant of arrest against Lozada. Why is it that police did not immediately execute the contempt charge of the senate?
Whatever Razon says about this thing, one fact remains: they really committed a grievous mistake. They are saying that Lozada was not kidnapped. What are the elements which constitute kidnapping? One of the requisites of the crime is the forcible act which prevents an individual from exercising or enjoying his basic rights. At the time of the incident, relatives of Lozada was not able to communicate with him. The PNP was just forced to take Lozada to DLSU Greenhills because of extreme public pressure and probably, when the palace realized that the public already knew of their plans and it was turning to be a fiasco.
What is certain is this:
1. Because of this incident, forces once disunited, have now merged together to again, threaten the security of the state. There's a catch here: if these forces fail to wrest power from Arroyo for the last time, they will find themselves totally marginalized and rendered inutile in the next few years. Any movement now against Arroyo should be extremely cautious and calculated.
Announcement: those who feel obligated as true Filipinos should take part in today's Black Friday mass mobilizations. Civil society groups are planning some activities today to denounce this incident. My take on this is: I am now in lifestyle. Politics in this country sucks.
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