‘Speaker’s son also liable for graft in NBN deal’--Escudero
By Veronica Uy - INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines -- Jose De Venecia III, founder of the firm that lost the bid to build the national broadband network (NBN), is also liable for graft as his company should not have qualified to bid for the contract under the country’s anti-graft law, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Tuesday.
The Supreme Court just issued a temporary restraining order on the multi-billion-peso information technology deal on the petition of the son and namesake of Speaker Jose De Venecia by former wife Victoria Perez.
De Venecia is a major stakeholder in Amsterdam Holdings Inc.
Citing Section 5 of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act, Escudero said, “it shall be unlawful for the spouse or for any relative by consanguinity or affinity, within the third civil degree of the President of the Philippines, Vice-President of the Philippines, Philippine Senate President, Speaker of the House, to intervene directly or indirectly, in any business, transaction, contract, or application with the government."
The senator reiterated his call for the immediate cancellation of the deal for its “anomalous and scandalous nature,” describing it as “rotten to the core with all parties involved supplying the molds.”
“The stink of this contract is too atrocious to bear already. It should be discarded immediately without prejudice to pursuing legal cases against erring officials who figured in the said deal,” he said.
Escudero said that while the younger De Venecia could be credited for spilling the beans on the way the deal was allegedly “immorally” brokered by Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, he cannot be regarded as an objective witness and whistle blower.
“For one, because he is a losing bidder and he has all the biased reasons to cry out. But Joey De Venecia is not without dirt on his hands when he tried cornering the deal. The fact that he is a son of the House Speaker should have [made him refrain] from dipping his hands into any government contracts,” he said.
The Supreme Court just issued a temporary restraining order on the multi-billion-peso information technology deal on the petition of the son and namesake of Speaker Jose De Venecia by former wife Victoria Perez.
De Venecia is a major stakeholder in Amsterdam Holdings Inc.
Citing Section 5 of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act, Escudero said, “it shall be unlawful for the spouse or for any relative by consanguinity or affinity, within the third civil degree of the President of the Philippines, Vice-President of the Philippines, Philippine Senate President, Speaker of the House, to intervene directly or indirectly, in any business, transaction, contract, or application with the government."
The senator reiterated his call for the immediate cancellation of the deal for its “anomalous and scandalous nature,” describing it as “rotten to the core with all parties involved supplying the molds.”
“The stink of this contract is too atrocious to bear already. It should be discarded immediately without prejudice to pursuing legal cases against erring officials who figured in the said deal,” he said.
Escudero said that while the younger De Venecia could be credited for spilling the beans on the way the deal was allegedly “immorally” brokered by Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, he cannot be regarded as an objective witness and whistle blower.
“For one, because he is a losing bidder and he has all the biased reasons to cry out. But Joey De Venecia is not without dirt on his hands when he tried cornering the deal. The fact that he is a son of the House Speaker should have [made him refrain] from dipping his hands into any government contracts,” he said.
Labels: nbn
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