By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–”That’s his karma.”
This was how lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III described the controversy hounding Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos regarding the allegedly anomalous national broadband network project.
According to dictionary.com, karma is “the action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation.”
Pimentel, who lost his senatorial bid in the last May elections, used a forum in Quezon City to ventilate his sentiments against Abalos, who he claimed had “masterminded” the alleged cheating in the elections last May.
He said the NBN contract between the government and the ZTE Corp. was one of the continuing “injustices” that the country has been facing under this present administration.
“Ang dami pa ring injustices hindi lamang sa aspeto ng human rights, pati na rin sa [There have been a lot injustices not only in the aspect of human rights but also in the [stealing the people's mandate and the latest one is the ZTE involving the same person, who maneuvered, masterminded the stealing of an election, is the same person now involved in this anomalous ZTE contract," Pimentel said, referring to Abalos.
"So good for him [Abalos]. So that’s his karma. Nobody believes him kahit anong gawin niyang paliwanag [no matter what explanation he gives],” he said.
In the House of Representatives, Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros pressed for the filing of an impeachment complaint against Abalos following a detailed testimony by Jose “Joey ” De Venecia III in the Senate regarding the chairman’s role in the NBN fiasco.
De Venecia is the son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and a major shareholder of the Amsterdam Holdings Inc, one of the proponents of the NBN project.
Hontiveros said De Venecia’s sworn statement was enough to impeach Abalos.
“The statement, which was given under oath, would make Comelec Chairman Abalos accountable for violating the Anti-Graft and Corruption law and betrayal of public trust,” she said in a statement.
“At the very least, the minority should meet and discuss whether the testimony is enough to impeach Abalos. Since Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico has not filed his complaint yet, the minority might tackle the possibility of linking up with Jose de Venecia III about the matter,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño and Gabriela Women’s Partylist Representative Liza Maza were no longer surprised by the younger De Venecia’s mention of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and his supposed role in the deal.
“If First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is the mystery man, it doesn’t take too much to conclude who the mystery woman is. Above all, she could be held accountable in the NBN-ZTE deal,” Casiño said, referring to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante, an administration ally, joined calls for the First Gentleman to address the issue confronting him.
“I think, I’ve been always supportive of the administration but this time, I hope he [Mr. Arroyo] will address the allegation against him,” Abante said.
But Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia, also an administration ally, said the President’s husband could choose not to appear in a congressional inquiry since the Constitution provided that only a judge could issue a warrant of arrest or compel a person to participate in the hearing.
Unlike Abante, Garcia was more interested in what the Speaker has to say about his son’s exposé.
“He [the Speaker] should not keep quiet. The people also expect to hear something from him,” he said.
The Cebu lawmaker would not say however how this latest exposé against Mr. Arroyo would affect the political alignment in the House.
16 Feedbacks on "Pimentel son on embattled Abalos: ‘Karma’"
Anonymous Citizen
There’s no denying an impeachment against Chairman Abalos is in the works. What goes around, comes around, as they say in the days of yore.
kim
sana ito na ang panguna sa mga dadating na karma dahil sobra na sila.iba ang salita iba ang gawa.mga walang konsensya.
sugapa
Abalos would lie straight in your face and looking you eye to eye. Talking about a man whose soul is already rotting in hell.”What doe it profit a man, if he gains the whole world but suffer the lose of this own soul?” Abalos thinks this passage doe not apply to him, because this is his “last hurrah” being the “most powerful man in the Philippine during the lection.” Matindi pa kaysa kay Marcos, very pathetic. .
rich
They are all the same. The younger Pimentel is obviously blaming Abalos for his loss. Just like most of the losers, he still ca’nt accept the outcome of the election and still harps on being cheated.
But come to think of it, there were places in Mindanao where he was clearly overshadowed by Zubiri. Does’nt that tell him something? I know that nowadays senators are voted at-large and they have the whole nation’s populace as their constituents, but if you are a candidate, aren’t you supposed to be preferrred or carried by voters with whom you shared georaphical affinity? The people who were supposed to know you better did not give you their votes? They must have a compelling reason.Think about it.
With regards to Mr. Abalos, I hope that the Senate can facilitate their investigation and if necessary, file a case against him in court. I dont think that the senators can bring closure to this controversy because of partisanship among its members.. These hearings “in aid of legislation” are simply being utilized by some of them to get media mileage and to advance their selfish agenda. Did something really get resolved in those investigations they conducted in the past? Nothing really. But most of those accusers who ran in the recent election won.
Its really a waste of taxpayers money if we allow our legislators to continuosly deprive us of laws that can truly benefit our people,especially those that could help improve our ailing economy. Enough of these masquerades. I hope they can focus more attention in legislating than investigating.And if they really want to have executive powers added to their legislative duties, why dont they spearhead the transformation of our country’s form of goverment from presidential to parliamentary(unicameral). In that case, they can only have themselves to blame whenever things go wrong.
espresso kid
Judging from recent history, this issue will fizzle out in the end. How? Indictments will be filed, court hearings conducted, public grandstanding will come from the Left and the Right (least to say our beloved politicians aiming for the highest office), media investigations, headlines. But swift and transparent justice? Disappointingly, after 1 or 2 years this will be forgotten. And we’re talking about a “kingmaker” here who’ll use his leverage to protect himself. Pull him down and he’ll drag the whole crew down by spilling the beans on the last election. Wake up people! Change first happens with our own thoughts and actions (remember, we voted these guys into office in the firstplace), then collectively as a nation. Who knows the Philippines may still have a chance?
Vinch
Abalos is a dangerous person, yeah, he can look at you eye to eye w/o blinking. You what hurt me most, they are lot of dying filipinos in hunger. And yet these Greedy and corrupt officials enjoy and spend our money. Enough on corruption PLEASE. Hope we all help each other to bring out the truth and I hope Mister Zubiri will pursue his so called BIOFUEL.He is now a senator, where’s the bio fuel now.
pippo
Let’s just consider the one who is less evil for those in positions who are throwing among themselves allegations and denials… If there’s in actuality of â€Â?KARMA” then the most awful among them will be the first to suffer the end result of their horrific doings, then the rest will follow consequently…and I always pray for it for the sake of their victims (the people).
They must be ill with now for what they have done to their constituents. They has to pay for that… MAY GOD BLESS US ALL and send us TRUE LEADERS who will serve and protect the people’s right.
John Eric Cagulcol
Parepareho lang silang mag-ama. Sourgraping lang kasi natalo nga. Sa Cagayan nga eh hindi cya nanalong mayor eh sarili niyang lugar yun. Yun namang mga senador na kala mo judge, huwag ninyo nang ituloy ang imbestigasyon. Kung talagang you are after the truth then sa right forum ninyo dalhin sa korte dahil paano mo mapapatunayan ang kasalanan ng isang tao kung ang mga nag-iimbestiga ay gustong magpatalsik sa pangulo
BUTYOK
kasuhan si abalos kung dapat kasuhan.
pero ang mag amang pimentel, tahiin ang bibig para wag nang dumakdak ng dumakdak. parang mga bakla.. kalalaking mga tao, parehong tsismoso.
hehehe, alam niyo galit si koko dahil natalo siya ni zubiri at ang mas masakit, mismong sa CDO talo sya. ni hindi nga nanalong mayor sa CDO, nag ambisyon pang maging senador. insulto kasi sa kanya dahil kung sa bisaya pa,, “taga-lungsod gipilde ug taga-bukid”. hehehe kakahiya.
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patokinism
abalos will lose…he is d most corrupt gov’t official now a days, before and after election….sana kunin ka na ni Lord…..
faryan
abalos must be tried in the proper courts and not by the crooked senators who are merely using it for political grandstanding (lalo na sa mga presidentiables villar, roxas and lacson).
style yan ni villar..at diyan siya sumikat.
the pimentels are indeed very annnoying politicians. father like son wika nga.
borong
The latest breaking news…abalos is out of the hole..Secretary Neri did not hear Chairman Abalos correctly when he said “Secreary may 200 ka dito”..according to abalos,,,it was 200 worth of load he sent Neri…not 200million!
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OFW in Afghanistan
Come on guys! What do you expect? This administration needs a lot of liars to cover up a lot of lies and Abalos is one of them. Gloria has to keep him around. Until when they will continue doing this, I do not know. There seems to be no stopping. One lie has to be covered by another lie…until we find ourselves in the middle of lies that we cannot discern truth anymore.
Rich and Butyok: I share with the young Pimentel his views. Given the circumstance, I will say the same thing. Between the young Pimentel and Abalos, I will believe the young Pimentel. I am sure his father taught him well.
John Eric Cagulcol: the senior Pimentel is still one of the best and the brightest we have in the Senate. Yes, the most respectable of them all, I believe. I do not understand why you are so pissed with them when it is Abalos who has been lying through his teeth.
kokoy
nobody is saying the truth pimentel sr. his milkin his job so bad, you can tell when they all face lozada. Mr lozada supposibly was doing thed talking instead they were all ready attacking him questioning who paid you life ins.. they crazy for that,, he can have all he want from that company as long as he work there he started that job ….he was force to talk to neri just because his afriend not frend,he did’nt knowhow deep willneri be needing him on this job he probably think just for this one not knowing how deep neri got him intoo. mr. lozada i can say just follow the milking process and u will be fine.. that’s how it goes up there, beginning from vice p,senators, all the justices,lower higher commite, comelec isap everything that suround the president itself,,, mr arroyo is taking advantage of this day by day ///
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