And just like that, Mike Arroyo is back on centerstage, in his customary role as political arch-villain.
I realize that many people who have helped in Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s four national campaigns have, in one way or another, a story to tell about The Husband. Now we have Joey de Venecia, the Speaker’s son, with his own story — not about a campaign but about an unusual meeting of heavyweight political players. Unfortunately for Mike Arroyo, the young De Venecia, even with all the political baggage burdening him, came off today’s Blue Ribbon-plus hearing as very credible indeed.
Manolo did a yeoman’s job in liveblogging the hearing; Inquirer.net’s news report is I think already on its third update. Veronica Uy writes:
De Venecia said Abalos told him, “I forgive you for your sins.” But De
Venecia said he did not react and instead proceeded to explain the advantages of his company’s proposal — that it would cost the government nothing in terms of a sovereign guarantee, equity, or subsidy.De Venecia said that it was here that Arroyo approached him and with a finger that was about “two inches from his nose,” told him to “back off.”
De Venecia said he took the First Gentleman’s words to mean that “iwanan mo na itong proyekto [leave this project].”
De Venecia said when he tried to explain how his company’s proposal was more superior to that of the ZTE Corp., the First Gentleman stood up and left.
And that, at least for Mike Arroyo, appearing like the deus ex machina itself in that “reconciliation” meeting at the Wack-Wack Golf Club sometime in the middle of March, was that. As far as I can make it out, those two words — “Back off!” — were the only words Mike Arroyo said to the Speaker’s son (by his first wife).
“Back off!” The First Gentleman may have left for a “two-week European vacation” (or so one of his doctors said late today), but he will find that when he comes back those two words will retain their haunting quality, their eerie intimation of a vengeful ghost about to wreck an overlong political banquet.
PS. PCIJ has Joey de Venecia’s opening statement.
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23 Feedbacks on "‘Back off!’"
MC_90
ito ay isa pang ejemplo sa kwento ng isang magnanakaw na naisahan ng isa pang magnanakaw…and yes, the most unfortunate part is..the people conducting the investigation (senate or congress) ay puro din magnanakaw…so ano ang resulta??? mas malaki pang nakawan ang mangyayari hahahahahahaha
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scorpio666
This will finally break the alliance of PGMA of KAMPI and Lakas NUCD of FVR and JDV. The rift happened during the election of the Speaker when KAMPI tried to overthrow JDV using Congressman Garcia of Cebu. The break-up may result in the impeachement of PGMA by Congress or the sacking of JDV as Speaker of the House. If PGMA wins, it is the end of Lakas as a political party.
arthur
No more honor among thieves! Part II?
Wadab
Bilib na talaga kay JDV III for having the guts to spill the beans and naming names at that. Pero sa palagay ko, to name the big fishes like Abalos and the first gentleman as the ones who allegedly brokered this project, it is quite obvious na meron ding “big fish” na-argabiyado sa “deal” na ito. I will not be suprised if more big names will surface in the next few days or weeks.
dan
naku! ano na naman yan? kayo talaga, anyway, kung tama ang memorya ko, nabasa ko sa mga pahayagan at narinig ko sa mga kwento, si Benazir Bhutto, dating PM ng Pakistan, napatalsik sa pwesto at naglagi sa ibang bansa pero ang mahal niyang asawa ay naiwan at nakulong… 1. Ang Mr. ni Benazir ay isinasangkot sa ma-anomalyang transactions ng gobyerno, katulad ng Mr. ni Gloria na isinasangkot din kaya lang lagi namamasyal sa ibang bansa pag nagkakataong may expose sa kanya. E, talagang ganun ang buhay nagkakataon. 2. Si Benazir at Gloria ay naging kaklase ng US Former Pres. na si Bill Clinton. 3. Parang may pag kakahawig ang situation, ano kaya mangyayari? Nakatunganga na naman si Juan dela Cruz, kawawang ‘Pinas.
balisong
A threat by a big fish to “back off” is enough to sow fear in every man’s being. So why is FG again in the center of such scandal? Is the word Mike Arroyo an identical twin of graft and corruption?
roger
Si Abalos talaga , huling-huli na eh hihirit pa. Ang kapal ng mukha, the same thing with Gloria Arroyo. and her minions.
Nothing will come out with the on-going ZTE investigation because Gloria has all the resources to put a stop to it. The Filipinos should wait when the ordinary Filipino soldiers (together with their families) in the AFP will start to feel the hardship which others are now going through in life in the country.
Kabayan
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=89222
The divulged level of corruption in the NBN deal with ZTE as described in the Senate made me want to puke. One can imagine the first level of corruption which involves Abalos, then the surprise (or should it be unsurprising) involvement of Mike Arroyo. In addition now we know why Abalos is so accommodating to the fraud done by administration allies in the recently concluded election which again shows a deeper darker level of complicity.
Once more these same Trapos and exploitative guys within or near the administration wanted to defraud us in this One and a Half TRILLION deal and many MORE TRILLIONS of pesos on the docket on the upcoming E-cyber-education program. Then there is this INSISTENT moves of Gloria to conclude the deal despite past questions of anomalies even BEFORE de Venecia’s son surfaced.
These disgustingly corrupt men and women currently in power attempted to BEAT the corruption record made by Ferdinand Marcos! Appalling, thick-faced, insulting, heartless and harsh… I’m at a loss for words to reflect the level of disgust I now feel for them!
Mike Arroyo, remember that you were given a new lease in life and that life is an extended LOAN from our Supreme Creator that you may be given a chance to mend your ways. And now you go back to wallow in your own mire and once more take part in making each and every Filipino both living and YET to be born to be more destitute because of it?
What next? Hire propagandists and spin doctors to turn the story around? Disgusting … absolutely disgusting!
khotaph
wala ring patutunguhan yang mga imbestigation na yan…ang mga senador natin ay wlang mga credibilidad…lalo’t na si miriam…balimbing buti pa sa kanya sa rehab……sana si abalos mamatay nalang sa atake sa puso…hindi makukulong yan…magaling na kawatan yan….may roon akong klasmate na karelasyon ni abalos….at akoy naniwala na totoong gumamit sya ng babae sa china….sana karmahin ka chairman…
chot conde
This is a Well planned drama[ or shall I say comedy?]by Mr Ear De venecia, Sen. Santiago
is getting closer to what I mean………….
abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
Kabayan
chot conde,
Madali naman malaman kung meron bang kalokohang kurapsyon na nangyari sa NBN deal eh. Ipa-”open bid” uli na “transparent” o lahat nakakaalam ng presyo ng bidding.
Kung may mga kumpanya sa mundo na makakabigay ng mas mababa na bid sa $329 million na alok ng ZTE, ang ibig sabihin may nangyari talagang kurapsyon sa broadband deal. Napakadali, simple. Di na kailangan na “abangan ang susunod na kabanata.”
MC_90
khotap….
sa palagay ko merong patutunguhan yang imbestigasyon na yan…patungo pa din yan sa bayaran….
unang patutunguhan:
sasabihin ng senador kay FG…malakas ang ebidensya laban sayo FG…sabihin ni FG sa mga senador…eh di bigyan ko kayo ng tig-isang milyon para humina ang ebidensya..
pangalawang patutunguhan:
sasabihin ng senador kay JDV III….mahina ang ebidensya mo laban kay FG..itigil na natin tong imbestigasyon….sabihin naman ni JDV III…o eh di bigyan ko kayo ng tig-isang milyon para pakasin nyo ang ebidensya..
o d ba malaki ang patutunguhan?
clipmaster
ito siguro ang drama ng mga de venecia…….
gusto ng matandang de venecia na supportahan ni gma ang chacha, eh ayaw na ni gma sa chacha……
gumawa ngayon ang batang de venecia ng alingasngas tungkol sa zte, may pang bargain/blackmail na ngayon ang mga de venecia kay gma……
puede ito ang dahilan ng lahat di ba…….
OFW in Afghanistan
Again, this is another case of judging the person who spilled the beans and not the ones who should be nailed down because they are the ones who committed the crime. If we continue to treat the likes of JDV3, the way others are treating him (despising him of what he did), who else will come out to tell the truth.
Mike Arroyo is at it again. I am not at all surprised of his involvement and while there is no direct link to Gloria right now, her actions somehow is revealing (read Manolo’s liveblogging). Abalos…well what do you expect. If he is capable of orchestrating corruption in COMELEC without batting an eyelash, he can be in for bigger things. Why not? He has the blessing of Gloria and Mike.
kamote
The fundamental question is why the odler JDV is allowing his son to particupate in the governmnet contract despite the prohibitions in the existing law of the land. This is a straight act of condoning corruption by the Speaker Himself. The ombusdman should come and the older JDV should explain why he allow his son to participate in the government bidding. Older JDV should be replaced as he did not do his part to stop his son from bidding in governent contract. The other question here is why, Leandro Mendoza still entertain JDV III-follow-up on the bis proposal. He should be outrighly elimiated from the bidding process. Again, GMA is right to from Transpaerncy Group the will manage the bidding. I think it is also time now investigate whether the JDV’s ( father and son) committed and offense. It’s time to show to the world that the law is fair to all. BTW, JDV has been implicated previously in anolous transaction. His son doing the same thing is not a surprise.
Let’s support the initiave of catching the “Big Fish”.The people wanted to see the JDV;s prosecuted and not just Erap.
Kabayan
To know the extent of corruption in ZTE deal, an ordinary knowledgeable citizen can canvass or ask from other companies all over the world how much they would invest on similar account/specs of the NBN.
Any amount offer less than $ 329 Million by other companies, one could surmise that the difference is corruption money.
This eradicates unnecessary complications and an ordinary Filipino citizen with expertise on purchase contract canvassing may do this.
In this way, this would clear the smoke-screen of the corrupt who want to weasel their way out of this controversy.
jong
GMA mahiya ka naman! Masyado na kayong garapal!! Dapat bitayin kayo
jong
GMA ang kapal nang familia mo and yong aso mong si Abalos. Maawa naman kayo sa Pilipino.
bigbear
Do you know why Kleptoglo is asking Congress to pass the Amnesty bill immediately? So she and Kleptomike including Kleptoben and Kleptolarry can apply for it when they are charged and convicted for plunder? Why? They don’t want to be cellmates of Erap.
MC_90
bigbear…
In case you are not aware…All POLITICIANS in our country..administration and opposition are Kleptosss hehehehe
They all rob the filipinos…including you and me
hehehhe
MC_90
jong,
lahatng politiko natin ay puro garapal hehehehehe
Naibaf
Wala namang malinis dyan, at sana wag nalang cla mag malinis. Senator Cayetano, e kung buhay ‘yong ama si companyero, ka takot2x na kahiyaan aabutin nun. .
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