Just a short note, as the Senate hearings on NBN deal is still ongoing.
Romulo Neri did say that Benjamin Abalos offered 200 million pesos in exchange for giving go-signal for the ZTE “contract”. Abalos denied Neri’s claims. Neri then recounted telling Gloria Arroyo about the bribe attempt. He then invoked executive privilege when asked further about their conversation. It seems that the Supreme Court has to enter the picture once again.
Anyway, Neri’s invoking executive privilege is significant – the trail should stop at Abalos, and it should not reach Gloria Arroyo. Also the fact remains that Arroyo told Neri to approve the deal anyway.
Placeholder believes that Neri is the second envelop. Whether the assertion is valid or not remains to be seen, though from the way things are going, this is not to be so.
Abalos’ goose is cooked. He should tell all now before it’s too late.
(If you have not yet voted in the poll, Abalos is one of the nominees to be named in the top of the 2007 AWBHoldings.com’s Wall of Shame. Vote now!)
The buck went through mama gloria’s ear and stopped in her brilliant brain.
President Truman, in his speeches, referred to the saying “The buck stops here!” and specifically asserted: “The President – whoever he is – has to decide. He can’t pass the buck to anybody. No one else can do the deciding for him. That’s his job.”
I believe Mr. Neri was candid and forthright when he recounted telling gloria of the bribe attempt. I am pretty sure Mr. Neri doesn’t get to hear a lot of these bribe attempts (as he might have been appalled when abalos said it to him). Therefore it’s possibly not everyday that he reports to gloria such attempts to make her callous in not doing anything about it.
Mr. Neri already elevated the situation to the acting highest (but probably the smallest) official in the land and yet that official did nothing as if no wrongdoing has been committed. gloria is remiss in her duty.
I hope gloria doesn’t go scot-free this time even though it’s just bribe attempt that was phoned to her. As others may recall, garci has intimated (also through phone – the garci wiretap) to her the “soft touch” policy (short of labeling it kidnap/hostage-taking) employed during the Rashma Hali Affair. gloria didn’t prevent it from occurring that’s why Ms. Harriet lost Rashma, their witness, to the government side. The latter incident is a more serious offense but the main difference now is that there is one Romulo L. Neri who is declaring gloria knows of the bribe attempt and that gloria or her minions are not disputing this statement!
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What I like to ask Mr. Neri is these:
You said you have poor memory, but aren’t we all (not expecting an answer)? There are situations wherein you can recall incidents in your life when it’s worth remembering or even not good to remember, like embarrassing moments, am I right? Anyway, let me ask again…Did you report abalos’ bribe attempt (as you have conjectured abalos was doing) to your president? How come you remembered (hoping to extract the circumstances surrounding it that made him recall the incidents)?
Do you often get to receive bribe attempts? How many? From whom (no names please – just designations, public official or private individual)? For how much?
Do you often report these bribe attempts (if there are any, other than abalos’ attempt) to your president?
Are you credible to your president when you phoned the incident to her? How did you feel when you unburdened yourself of that responsibility?
Now, did it ever occur to you that there was no investigation on the bribe attempt simply because you weren’t questioned about it?
Hi, Baycas, if only Neri can read your questions.