Update: NBI preliminary report
NBI suspects ZTE’s rival in NBN contract in loss of documents
I hope Assistant Secetary Lorenzo G. Formoso III of the Department of Transportation and Communication will not get the ax for disclosing a “national shame” at the forum on the National Broadband Network project sponsored by the Action for Economic Reform at the Ateneo Professionals School in Rockwell last Wednesday.
The “national shame” was the loss of the sovereign contracts between the governments of the People’s Republic of China though a government subsidiary ZTE Corporation and the Philippine Government represented by the DOTC the night after the important documents were signed.
A DOTC source said a worried Formoso went back to his office after the AEC forum and confided to a subordinate that he made a mistake (“Nagkamali ako”) . “Bigla kong nasabi (I blurted it out ).
In the forum, where everybody was flabbergasted by his disclosure, he was asked by Philippine Star columnist Jairus Bondoc if he was authorized to reveal the embarrassing incident. He replied, “If I’m not authorized, I’ll lose my job tomorrow.”
Formoso impressed me as a decent and competent guy.
He joined the DOTC Sept. 2006. That means he has been with the department for less than a year. He is DOTC secretary of the Telephone Office and Ex-Officio Commissioner of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology.
A google search yielded the info that he is “Juris Doctor, University of California, Davis School of Law . Admitted to practice in the Philippines and California.”
CICT’s website says Formoso has an extensive expertise in the field of telecommunications. Prior to his assumption at TELOF, he served as the deputy commissioner of the CICT; head of the Change Management Team (CMT) and as the chief legal counsel of the Commission.
Aside from his duties at TELOF, Formoso continues to serve as the CICT’s legal counsel. He performs the oversight functions over the Commission’s Franchising Functions, supervision of the Community e-Center (CeC) Program as well as the oversight of the Project Management Offices.
Former Transportation and Communications Secretary Josie Lichauco praised Formoso’s candidness and said “he is a hero” for exposing what he himself said was a “national shame.”
Formoso’s stunning disclosure happened at the start of the open forum that followed his power-point presentation describing the $329 million contract with ZTE as legal, proper and advantageous to the Philippine government.
If everything was above board, why is there so much secrecy about the contract. It has been three months since the signing of the contract, why hasn’t it been made public?
That ‘s when he disclosed that the documents were stolen from the Philippine commercial attaché in his hotel the night after the signing. He used the word “stolen”, not “lost”. He explained that the copies, both the Philippine and Chinese signed copies were left to the attaché, whom we found out later to be Emmanuel Ang, for protocolar documentation.
“It’s a national shame. That’s the reason why we kept it under wraps.” He added that the National Bureau of Investigation was brought in and the findings indicate it was the handiwork of “certain forces who wanted to derail the contract.”
Everybody’s reaction was “Ah another Bedol!” Lichauco said it’s “scandalous”. She added, “In my 19 years in government, I have never heard of the contract papers being stolen.”
Former Finance Secretary Ernest Leung said, “It’s incredible knowing how the public sector handles documents signed in the presence of the president.”
It was too much for Australian businessman Peter Wallace to take. “It’s mind-boggling,” he said.
But the best comment came from another businessman: “We have stolen COCs. Now we have stolen government contracts. What do you expect under a stolen presidency.”
To Asst. Sec. Formoso, sir, it’s not a national shame to say what’s in your mind. Nagsasabi ka lamang naman ng totoo dahil alam mong yon ang totoo. It’s not a slip of the tongue, hindi ba? It’s really in your consciousness dahil alam mo, nandoon ka, kasama ka. From what’s written about you, you’re a no-nonsense individual, well-learned and qualified to the position you’re in. Don’t be afraid because the truth will set you free.
Or are you referring to Gloria as the national shame? It’s betterer.
DOTC Assistant Secetary Lorenzo G. Formoso III can be a potential state witness in case of China ZTE contract’s full-blown investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. He is rare breed of competent public official. I think lawyer Lorenzo Formoso III comes from a respectable family in Ilocos Sur province. He is the son of former Vigan mayor Lorenzo Formoso Jr. circa 1960’ and then political opponent of Crisologo-Singson dynasty. His grandfather Lorenzo Formoso Sr. was also a municipal mayor (1952-1958).
This is what I will expect to the national shame statement attributed to Asst. Sec. Formoso.
1. Simula ngayon, isa ka nang pamoso. But it depends.
2. If Gloria will not fire you, it means what your behind your famous words “it’s a national shame” is true. They have to keep you baka i-promote ka p just to keep your lips sealed. It’s because as what DGK stated, you are a potential state witness in the sure to come investigation on the nefarious telecom contract.
3. If you right and you’re telling the truth, resign your position. You will be hailed as a “hero” and famous. Divulge to the group who are seeking what’s behind the haste and secrecy in this Cashunduan sa China.
Formoso described the $329 million contract with ZTE as legal, proper and advantageous to the Philippine government …
There are plenty of giveaways. If it is legal and proper, did congress ratify and approved it? Of course it must be advantageous to the Philippines, otherwise there is no sense entering into any contract. But the thing is,it might only be advantageous to d’glue and her band of thieves, otherwise they would not go to extreme length of hiding it from the public – via protocolar documentation?? (abduction of documents)…
There is something definitely fishy here. Why did not gloria gloat about it, knowing how she loves to gloat, even at the mere prospect foreign investments? If pinoys stand to gain $392 million from the contract, the more reasons
gloria will gloat. It stands to reason that only gloria and cohorts stand to benefit from these palatable millions, hence the extreme procedure to abduct the documents to prevent it from the light of day.
ngayon lang ba may issue ng national shame? matagal na ah, mula nang si gloria ang umupo sa malacanang. sa dinami-dami ng kanyang kasinungalingan at panloloko, at pangungurakot, maliit na tinik ito. yun lang pagsinungaling niya at paggamit sa pangalan ni pope john paul II, hindi pa ba national shame yun?
sino pa ba ang gagayahin ng mga alipores na ito, kundi ang amo nilang sobra ang kapit sa trono na hindi naman kanya.
pwede ba, wag silang ipokrito!
Ang song of the week the GMA? “Woe is me, shame and scandal in the family!”
Rose
Swak na swak ang song of the week mo. Pero baka sagutin ka naman ni Gloria ng isang kanta ng Platters: Oh,I’m a great pretender!
Sa totoo lang, kung mayroon tayong national hero, itong great pretender to the presidency na si Gloria ang dapat bansagan na national shame based on stolen presidency, stolen votes, stolen taxpayers money, stolen documents from COCs to contracts, stolen lives due to extra judicial killings and stolen smiles of the people who are suffering from abject poverty.
In additional to the national shame, Sen. Mar Roxas termed it Colossal Embarassment.
He noted that every international agreement signed must be lodged with the Department of Foreign Affairs which is the premiere department tasked with promoting the country’s bilateral and multilateral ties.
To our knowledge, it’s DOTC who initates the telecom project it being under its jurisdiction but the signatory to the documents must the President, kung sino man siya, plus the DFA Secretary. If ever, the DOTC secretary or his altern can only be as witness to a contract.
Nagmadali at inilihim itong kontrata. Nang makita nilang maraming butas, “nawala” pero reconstituted na nitong May 30. Malamang binago ang provisions dahil nanalo ang oposisyon sa Senado, may sabit sila sa imbestigasyon. Hindi lulusot ang mga palusot.
Asst. Sec. Formoso, be a hero na. Sabihin mo na ang totoo. Isa ka pa namang marangal na tao. Huwag mong sirain ang iyong pangalan. Sige na.
national shame?
uy! bagong dagdag na naman ‘yan sa tala ng ating kasaysayan.
sikat talaga ang pilipinas at kahangahanga tayong mga pilipino.
‘daming titulong nagiging daan ng kasikatan ng sinumang sikat ng tao!
ngiyaaaw!
Current song hits-
Oh yes I am the Great Pretender
Woe is Me shame and scandal
Oh, Oh Daya Na
How Much is that Doggie in the Window?
Hahabol habol- o ang babae pagmaykailangan..
It could be also a day of infamy.
National shame? Wala niyan si Gloria. Makapal nga ang mukha e! Kundi ba naman, hindi na nga pinapansin kung saan-saan pa pumupunta. Dito nga ang laki ng ginastos during her last visit trying hard to invite interested Japanese to help her with her publicity stunt. Walang pumansin. Inquirer, etc. lang yata ang naglabas ng mga publicity stunts niya. Nilangaw ang ungas.
Kaya nga ang daming dalang tagapalakpak dahil alam niyang hindi siya papalakpakan. Iyong mga pilipinong pumunta naman doon sa expensive merienda na ibinigay ng Philippine Embassy, ay para lang daw “lumakas” sila sa Philippine Embassy. Wow, utak slavery pa rin!
Never did that when I was in UK during some visit of the dignitaries from Japan when I was a student there. We were not obligated to attend but if we were invited and we attended such function, it was more because we wanted to show how united the Japanese were, something like showing a good foot forward, more for national pride than for boosting up the sagging reputation of some idiot and criminal like Gloria M. Arroyo.
Hopefully, with a new set of more responsible government officials like Senator Trillanes, Senator Pimentel, et al, we will see a better Philippines, and really emancipated Filipinos who will no longer feel and act like slaves!!!
Good luck to all!
Rose:
Ganda ng mga kanta mo. Naalala ko tuloy noong maliit pa ako. Golly, 10 years old pa lang ako kasama na ako sa mga fans club—Elvis Presley fan ako noon! Ngayon, tumanda na, nagtataka nga ako kung papaano ako naloko kay Elvis! Gosh, palakasan ng hi-fi sa area namin noon. Ah, those good old days. Si Garcia ang president noon! Nang maging presidente iyong tatay ni Gloria Kriminal, doon na nagkaloko-loko ang Pilipinas! Kaya alsa balutan kami–stateside bound!!!
Nabasa ko ngayon na umalis na naman pupunta sa Singapore.
Talaga naman- jetter siya. sa bisaya at bisaya ako- jitter na jitter siya ano? She is in jitters…woe is me.
GLORIA IS THE NATIONAL SHAME.
She still doesn’t get it, does she ?
chabeli,
tuwang tuwa nga si gloria makagarapal arroyo dahil tinawag siyang national shame. kahanay na raw siya ng national flower at national flag!
ngek!
Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can be best remembered as political power grabber through force and electoral fraud. This is her legacy, nothing more, nothing less. The name Gloria Arroyo is the synonym of fraud, deceit and scam.
Diego K. Guerrero Says:
June 23rd, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can be best remembered as political power grabber through force and electoral fraud. This is her legacy, nothing more, nothing less. The name Gloria Arroyo is the synonym of fraud, deceit and scam.
————–
The best description for Gloria Arroyo. Dapat siguro lahat ng picture niyang nilalagay sa billboards sa daan ay lagyan ng ganitong description.
Her number one legacy is the HELLO GARCI…HELLO GARCI.
Mrivera: Hindi ba may bulaklak na “baho-baho”? It is not unusual for a flower to be named after a person who cultured it, right? Kaya yong tinatawag na baho-baho should be –yon ang legacy niya.
“The only legacy she will leave behind would be a legacy of controversial elections, with people only remembering the “Hello Garci” issue of 2004 and the 2007 elections which was riddled with failures of elections, missing election documents and a painfully slow senatorial count.” Cong. Biazon
Glad to hear na bumabanat na rin si Raffy Biazon. Pagbutihin mo, and you will go far.
Magandang ehemplo ang ipinapakita ni Sonny Trillanes. At least, hindi siya puedeng insultuhin ni unano at ng mamang nagpapapayat ngayon sa St. Luke’s. Sa talino, walang sinabi si unano na pati diploma binayaran lang. Puro lang siya yabang.
Senator Trillanes, tandaan mo, hindi ka nag-iisa!
..”what do you expect from a stolen presidency”….now that’s a vry very honest and candid statement! we should her more of this line…
..”what do you expect from a stolen presidency”….now that’s a vry very honest and candid statement! we should hear more of this line…