LACSON SEEKS SOUTH KOREAN INVESTOR PROBE
MANILA, MAY 4, 2008 (STAR) By Aurea Calica - Sen. Panfilo Lacson is seeking an investigation into a South Korean investor’s alleged P400 million bribe to Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental Mayor Paulino Emano, which has caught the ire of President Arroyo.Lacson called for the probe even as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, upon the President’s instruction, has started its investigation into the alleged bribe to Emano by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. that was planning to build a $2-billion shipyard in Tagaloan.
But Lacson doubts the extortion story, saying it came out belatedly along with Mrs. Arroyo’s directive.
The delayed reaction, he said, was reminiscent of apparent damage control attending the $329-million national broadband network (NBN) scandal.
Lacson said it was amusing that Mrs. Arroyo would be “furious” only now, saying she should have become furious the moment the bribe offer was reported to her.
Lacson and Sen. Pia Cayetano said Mrs. Arroyo also did not order an immediate investigation and simply “ignored” then National Economic and Development Authority director general Romulo Neri’s report of a P200-million offer from resigned Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos in exchange for the approval of the NBN project.
Cayetano said the trend was disturbing while Lacson said it was only now that Emano “is talking a bit that a full-blown investigation is being ordered.”
Lacson said the issue must be investigated because if there was indeed a P400-million offer and Mrs. Arroyo ignored the mayor’s report, a more interesting question would be: “How much was offered or actually given to Malacañang or Mrs. Arroyo?”
Lacson also called for the immediate securing of Emano, adding the mayor must now tell all about the attempted bribery, and Mrs. Arroyo’s possible attempt at cover-up.
“Mayor Emano must be protected and secured immediately. Thereafter he must tell the details of the whole truth about the attempted bribery involving Hanjin, including making Mrs. Arroyo at least an accessory after the fact,” he said.
Earlier reports indicated Emano was offered the amount to allow continued operation of the shipbuilding facility in the town.
Emano ordered Hanjin to cease operations after it failed to present an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and a municipal building permit.
But Hanjin officials, through a letter-complaint filed before the office of Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno, claimed the mayor’s men manhandled one of their representatives and that it was Emano and the mayor of Villanueva town who had been extorting money from them for the project’s approval.
Hanjin had planned to operate a $2-billion shipyard that would extend from Tagaloan to Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.
DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno ordered the creation of a task force to investigate charges and counter-charges of extortion and bribery in connection with the Hanjin project.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said yesterday that Malacañang is optimistic that the dispute between Hanjin and the two local government units will be resolved soon.
“Those charges will be investigated and we hope this situation will be resolved,” Bunye said over government-run dzRB.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo confirmed that the President called the attention of the two town mayors of Misamis Oriental as indicated by Puno last Friday. – With Marvin Sy
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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