The firm involved is Tenix Defence, Australia’s biggest military contractor, which is under investigation by federal police investigation for allegedly bribing officials and politicians across Asia including the Philippines to win massive contracts.
The article said “A director of Tenix’s Philippines subsidiary, lawyer Romela Bengzon, this week confirmed a police investigation into company contracts. She declined to comment further, citing her ongoing role with Tenix.”
The article further said, “Ms Bengzon is well known to the Australian embassy in Manila and is corporate secretary of the Australian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. In 2005, she was made a commissioner to advise on changes to the Philippine constitution. She is now the Philippines ambassador for international trade.”
The last sentence was a shock to me because Bengzon was an ardent supporter of Gloria Arroyo. How did she get the position of “ambassador for international trade” under the Aquino administration?
Bengzon was deputy secretary-general of the 2006 Consultative Commission that Arroyo formed to amend the Constitution. The Commission recommended a shift to a parliamentary system of government. It also recommended the scrapping of the 2007 election and extension to 2010 the term of office of elective officials, local and national.
The Commission attempted to tamper with the provision in the Bill of Right guaranteeing freedom of the press by inserting the word “responsible.” Who determines what is “responsible” press?
Bengzon who loved to describe herself as “New York lawyer” was known to be very, very close with a ranking official of the Arroyo administration. We were told that during the Arroyo administration, she brokered several deals one of them was the supply by a French company of a paper used in the printing of Philippine money.
I immediately called up the Department of Foreign Affairs. Nobody knew about “Ambassador Romela Bengzon.”
I googled. Her profile in the Bengzon Law website states,” Mela Bengzon has been appointed to key positions by the Philippine government, i.e. she was chairperson of the Economic Liberalization Committee of the Charter Change Advocacy Commission and Deputy Secretary General of the Consultative Commission. Her most recent post in the Philippine Government is as the Honorary Investment and Trade Representative (Trade Ambassador) to the European Union.”
I called up her office and inquired about her being “Trade Ambassador.” The lady who entertained my query said, “That was before.” I asked when and she couldn’t tell me because she said Bengzon’s secretary had already gone home.
I texted some Malacañang officials. Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said, “Not true.”
Carandang said he checked with the office of Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa and there was really no appointment of Bengzon as “ambassador for international trade.”
Anyway, here’s the portion of the Sydney Morning Herald’s report involving the Philippines:
“One of the suspect Tenix deals involved a 2001-02 contract to supply six search-and-rescue vessels for the Philippine Coast Guard. It is suspected to have involved bribes to senior officials and politicians, including a cabinet minister.
“The deal was underpinned by a $109 million guarantee from the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) – an arm of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – to enable the Philippines to borrow from banks, including ANZ, and pay Tenix for the boats.
“In 2002, when EFIC provided the guarantee and Tenix began building the boats for the Philippines, the company hired Mr Reith as a consultant. The company also had representatives on the boards of government trade agency Austrade and EFIC between 2001 and 2008. The Age is not suggesting Mr Reith was involved in the Philippines deal.
“BAE Systems – which in 2010 paid huge fines after US and UK investigations into allegations the firm had bribed foreign officials – is believed to have called in the federal police to investigate Tenix after finding evidence of suspected bribes. BAE declined to comment to The Age.
“In response to questions from The Age, an AFP spokesman said the agency ”received a referral in 2009 for alleged improper payments made by multinational staff members to secure contracts in the Asia region”.
‘’’As this matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further,” the spokesman said.
“The Foreign Affairs Department last night said it became aware of the AFP’s probe into Tenix in January 2010. An EFIC spokeswoman confirmed the agency became aware of the police probe into Tenix last year and had ”co-operated with the AFP as requested”.
“Businessman Ian Knop, a former EFIC board member and Tenix lobbyist, declared a potential conflict of interest ”involving his client Tenix Defence and the government of the Philippines” in the corporation’s 2003 annual report.
“Mr Knop yesterday said his lobbying work for Tenix only related to domestic matters and that he would have excused himself from any EFIC board deliberations involving the company. Mr Knop, who left the EFIC board in 2008, said he was unaware of the police investigation into Tenix.
“Doubts over the legitimacy of Tenix’s Philippines deal, worth tens of millions to the company, first emerged in Manila in 2005 when Philippines Senate president Franklin Drilon declared it illegal and claimed no provision for the vessels had ever been made in the national budget.
“As a result, the Philippines stopped repaying its loan, leaving Australian taxpayers – through EFIC – liable for almost $100 million in unrepaid loans, according to information tabled in Australia’s Parliament in February 2007. EFIC declined to say whether it was still financially exposed over the deal.
“The six-boat contract followed Tenix’s delivery of two search-and-rescue vessels in 2000. The initial contract was funded in 1998-99 by an EFIC loan and a $21 million grant from aid agency AusAID.
“A director of Tenix’s Philippines subsidiary, lawyer Romela Bengzon, this week confirmed a police investigation into company contracts. She declined to comment further, citing her ongoing role with Tenix.
“Ms Bengzon is well known to the Australian embassy in Manila and is corporate secretary of the Australian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. In 2005, she was made a commissioner to advise on changes to the Philippine constitution. She is now the Philippines ambassador for international trade.”
Romela Bengzon in a defense-related deal? I imagine with a lot of help from former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
From an ambassador friend:
I read your item re “ambassador” Romela Bengzon. I just had to laugh.I first met her during the Arroyo admin and was quite surprised at how she introduced herself to people as such. I immediately knew it’s a self-given title as I know practically all ambassadors in active service and she is not one of them.
Jiji Valderrama’s comment posted in her FB wall:
I wonder if she can be charged if she indeed misrepresented herself and the country, and what case may be filed against her. Lakas naman ng loob nya.
It’s really shocking that she got an appointment as Philippines ambassador for international trade from nobody knows who.
Romela Bengzon might have been carrying that title without official appointment from the current leadership to awe and shock her clients, in short she’s fake like her idol Gloria Arroyo. Or she might have a konek to this administration and napalusot ang appointment without going through the usual channel. Tanungin si Pnoy mismo, if he said not him either..kick her in the butt ora mismo.
Yes, I still remember that woman kissing Gloria’s ass.
Anne de Bretagne on her FB wall:
Edong Ermita will be happy…:-)
If no official appointment is released by Romela Bengzon to support her claim, she must be charged for misrepresenting Pinas and kawalanghiyaan. Jawskopo, napakaraming walanghiya sa fake admin ni putot!
Tongue, remmy mo pa ba ang babaeng ito?
Hahahaha, si Hot Mama… http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2007/01/20/gma-davos-entourage-does-not-include-mela-bengzon/
Chi, I remember reading that …the hot mama. Mmmm, in fiarness, cute siya so can’t blame papa kung in love sa kanya!
Marami namang mga aso si pandak na nadyan pa rin. Do not go far, sa house of the representa THIEVES na lang, most of them kissed her ass and now, they are kissing Pnoys instead.
Ang kulit mong magresearch, Ellen, LOL! Hahaha. This is the woman who took “TRUTH” out in the preamble of the Constitution they wanted to change in GMA’s time!
Yes, Cha-Cha. Thanks for reminding us of that attempted assault on the preamble of our Constitution.
“We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of the Almighty God, in order to build a just and human society…. under the rule of law and a regime of truth,justice, freedom,love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.”
In the draft Constitution that they submitted to Gloria Arroyo, the phrase “a regime of truth” was not included.
Imagine if they succeeded.
If you go to google, and type “Philippine ambassador”, google anticipates you and fills in “to US”, “to China”, etc.
You are sent to a country, not to a phrase (international trade). So that is the giveaway, the fact that the preposition is “for”, and the fact that the destination is a phrase, not a country, or a multilateral – “Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations”. (Type “Philippine ambassador to the united”, and it anticipates you with “united states”, or “united nations”.
She’s got the looks, though. Don’t be surprised if she gets an appointment from the gunslinger.
She’s got the connections as well. Apo ata ni Justice Jose Bengzon, who is the cousin of CJ Cesar Bengzon, from Camiling, Tarlac. Tarlaqueño siya. She better sidle up to the namesake of Rico J.
Reminds me of the joke of an appointment Macoy conferred on Danding.
Danding was appointed as “ambassador at large”. What the heck is that?
The joke was even quoted in the dissenting opinion of Carpio-Morales in a Supreme Court decision.
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/april2011/166859_carpio-morales.htm
She’s got the looks, though. Don’t be surprised if she gets an appointment from the gunslinger. -#12
I doubt it, atty sax, she’s no longer a spring chicken. 🙂
Thanks for the lesson “for” and “to” in relation with ambassadorial phrase. Pang awe and shock lang talaga ang title nya pala.
maybe she’s a spook? she looks hot but she’s no grace lee, hehehe
The second paragraph should read “The firm involved is Tenix Defence, formerly Australia’s biggest military contractor…”
Tenix Defence was sold to British firm BAE Systems (formerly British Aerospace) in 2008, making its owners, Italian immigrants Paul and Robert Salteri, into billionaires while retaining Tenix’ original businesses in water, power, gas, industrial and transport.
In 2005, Senate Pres. Frank Drilon declared the 6-boat deal illegal because it was not covered by the national budget. Previously, 2 boats had been purchased through the USAid funds.
Are these vessels still around or were they silently returned to Tenix?
Additional reading from the same authors of the above, in here: http://goo.gl/KfrxL
I’m intrigued who the bribed cabinet official was and for how much.
I had the opportunity to work with Atty. Romela Bengzon last 2007-2010. She was indeed appointed as Trade Ambassador by the DTI at that time. You verify this with the DTI.
May I remind you Ellen of the lofty advocacy of journalism and that is to give unbiased, accurate and objective information to the public. I daresay your work is nothing but personal attack against Atty. Romela Bengzon. This is irresponsible journalism!
Hindi natin dapat isisisi kay Atty. Romela Bengzon kung may misinformation ang mga Australian journalist. Makikita sa article na hindi naman sya nagsabi na sya ang current Trade Ambassador.
Nakakalito ang article…may galit ka ba dun kay Romela Bengzon?
I was a former student of Atty. Romela Bengzon in one of her law classes. I don’t understand why you are making a big fuzz over her representation that she is a New York lawyer because she really is a New York bar passer.
Ellen, get your facts straight! Instead of twisting it to your whim!
This article is half-truth, therefore it’s a lie!
Please make us understand where you are coming from….bakit ka galit sa kanya? Obviously yung wrong information did not come from her mouth. Kung may nagkamali man, dahil yun sa research ng writer.
Have she wronged you in any way? Journalists should be free of any biases and grudges in writing their articles. I read the Australian article and I don’t think that it was about her. But you wrote a hate article about her.
With all due respect ms. Tordesillas, get your facts straight first before “reporting”. I was a student of Atty. Bengzon and I find it imperative to defend my mentor. Atty. Bengzon was trade ambassador during the Arroyo administration, her post was not connected with the DFA but with the DTI. Check the DTI… Better yet go to her office and see for yourself her appointment letter and the picture while she was being sworn-in.
Do you harbor grudge against Atty. Bengzon?! You’ve been attacking her ever since she entered the political arena. She’s now a private citizen. Let her be! And oh, address her properly…it is ATTY. BENGZON. She earned her title. Have the decency naman to give her due credit.
Rubbish. I personally know Mela. She was trade ambassador, contrary to what your biased article claims. Do your research. Readers do not deserve to be misinformed.
What is with you and her being a New York lawyer?! Atty. Bengzon passed the New York bar, and practiced law in New York. As a Filipino, aren’t proud that a Filipino had the privilege to practice law in New York?!
don’t believe everything that you read in the net, malay mo hindi pala updated ang profile nya sa net. Kaya nga nagreresearch ang mga journalist eh, hindi lang patext-text. It is not her fault na nagkamali ang Australian press, edi awayin mo ang Australian press.
Mela does not bestow title to herself. She was trade ambassador during the Arroyo administration. Yes, she’s beautiful but it was her qualifications that made and brought her to where she is now. Strike a conversation with her and you will know what i am talking about.
Anong point ng article na to? Makakatulong ba to sa pagbaba ng presyo ng gasolina?! Dapat nasa entertainment section to eh.
Wow! Hot Mama sent in the cavalry to defende Her ‘Hotship.’
Ellen, pleased you found this article and posted it. There is every chance that this would have been swept under the rug if you hadn’t posted it. After all, it is only right that the public is apprised of the Tenix debacle and the info that Her Hotship (kilig si Edong Ermita kaya?) just might be investigated. And quite right too (that she be included in any investigation… She can always scream, “Do you know who I am?” or some similar gibberish.)
Her defenders should know that Ms Tordesillas has been consistent in all her reports. Ms Bengzon aka Her Hotship (in conjuction with Edong’s His Hotship) was one of the grovellers before Her Pandakship who was responsible much for the state of affairs this nation has had to face, i.e., unbelievable misrule of law.
Oh, before I forget, just a note to the defenders of Her Hotship: Please tell lawyer Bengzon that she need not worry — if she has nothing to hide, i.e., she’s not corrupt, then she absolutely has nothing to worry about.
As to our courageous Ellen, long may she live! Bravo for your journalism consistency!
To Chi, to Tongue, to Parasabayan: 😉 😉 😉
Aurore de Breizh,glad to see you back!
It appears that Ellen conveniently forgot her homework as a journalist which is to conduct research before presenting the information to the public. All she did was to make some phone calls and surf the internet. Get some leg work Ellen before you report your piece.
She is a Bengzon because her first husband is a Bengzon.
Who did not do his/her homework?
Hahahaha!
BTW, Madame Aurore, is Breizh the new playground of the rich and famous?
Ms. Tordesillas, I was her former student in FEU-DLSU Law School. All I can say is that you should be able to gather accurate facts so as to instill credibility in your write-ups. Indeed, Atty. Mela is a New York Bar Passer. There is nothing wrong if she brags about it.
Alam mo Ms. Tordesillas, irrelevant na ang pagpopost mo with her connection sa dating administration. Weder-weder lang yan. Natural when she is with an administration, andun ang suporta niya.
Yun ngang matagal na naging mayor, mayor pa din ang tawag out of respect. E siya naman ay trade ambassador noon at di naman sinasabi ng tao na ganoon pa din siya ngayon. Isa pa, honorary lang ang kanyang posisyon. Di naman siya ang isang tipikal na ambassador to a country. Tingnan mo may ambassador of goodwill may bible ambassador pa di ba.
Huwag na huwag mo bibilugin ang utak ng madlang people sa pamamagitan ng mga outdated facts mo. Kung gagawa ka ng write up, di na kailangan halungkatin ang personal facts about sa isang tao. Just stick to the issue Tordesillas.
You should not take it personal Ms. Tordesillas. You should be careful with your wordings. This is tantamount to character assassination.
Whoa cha-cha, she WAS married to “her FIRST husband who is a Bengzon”? Who then were the second, third…?
Dear Romela Bengzon disciples (myla, mickee, merlie curas, barbie rigor, ariessteven, ella, peewee),
It is clear that someone could not handle Ellen’s blog report and requested for cavalry support to try to dent Ellen’s professionalism (I am inclined to believe it just might be be Her Hotship Romela Bengzon herself who initially made the report viral.) But never mind. Her Hotship (Edong Ermita is His Hotship) has a right to a vigorous defence.
However, it is important for the disciples she sends to defend her virtue to understand that there is nothing remotely invented by Ellen in this report.
These “students” of Ms Bengzon must not allow themeselves to be blinded by Her Hotship.
As I see things:
Fact no.1: This is a report on a report in an Australian newspaper which coincides with reports that were made in the past concerning Bengzon’s dalliances with the Gloria Macapagal administration. I don’t see this report as a gratuitous attack on Ms Bengzon which the defenders of Her Hotship’s virtue have portrayed.
Fact no. 2: To ask “Romela Bengzon, ambassador for international trade?” is but normal. There is no other way to put it? For someone to send in the cavalry to confuse the issue is, however, NOT normal. If Ms Bengzon wishes to defend her virtue, she must reply herself to the question. If the charges in the Australian newspaper are not true, then she must come forward because I am sure Ellen can help set the record straight for her but she herself must come out and do it.
Fact no. 3: Ms Bengzon took advantage of the largesses offered by Malacanang during the during the “term” of Her Pandakship, Mrs Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Her dalliances with the people who were in power then that possibly enriched her, made her a natural target. Clearly, Ms Bengzon is not the stuff she tries to portray herself before her students.
Ms Bengzon will certainly be investigated by the Australian police for possible complicity in corrupt acts committed in the name of big bucks. It is up to the Filipino people to help authorities, local or foreign, to shed light with a view to punishing the guilty and help eliminate corruption, especially where our state coffers are concerned.
For information, in the defence business world, Tenix has always had the reputation of operating “below board.” They have been trying to corrupt military officials in RP since 1990 or during the term of Admiral Dumancas as chief of the Philippine Navy.
That Ms Bengzon decided to lend her name to this corrupt defence company is her own fault. She cannot and will not be able to convince me that she has been above board in her dealings with Tenix.
The Australians are right to leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of the truth. And we must help them do that. Ms Bengzon, a lawyer, must not hide behind her former students. She enjoyed the largesse offered by Malacanang for a long time, time for her to face the music.
We must be thankful that we have Ms Tordesillas who has always been consistent in reporting on issues that touches on corruption. We must be thankful that we have one journalist of excellent standing who will not and cannot be bamboozled by Ms Bengzon. We must encourage her to continue to do the good fight.
Thank you Ellen for being there. We who are not all as brave as you are can only thank you.
Hi Tongue!
😀 Yes! Breizh is it… 😉
Aruray, ikaw nga ga iyan?
Luto na ga ang palarusdos at biko?
LOL! Kumusta Manong Magno? Ala e, ako nga ito… 😀
Hindi naluto iyong biko ko eh… mali yata yung bigas na nakuha ko. Japanese malagkit eh hahahaha 😉
Wow ha, and daming new visitors sa blog.
All of “them” sympathetic to Hot Momma, clandestinely landing here one after the other and each one typing multiple comments at world record speeds (all 22 comments just took 12 mins to complete!). Let’s see.
eyo – 2 comments – 3:18 and 3:20
peewee – 3 comments – 4:15, 4:16, 4:17
ella – 4 comments – 6:19, 6:20, 6:20, 6:21
ariessteven – 3 comments – 7:28, 7:29, 7:30
merlie curas – 2 comments – 7:35, 7:36
barbie rigor – 2 comments – 7:38, 7:39
merlie curas – 1 comment – 7:24
mickee – 3 comments – 1:21. 1:21 1:21 (Winner!)
myla – 2 comments – 1:26, 1:27
22 comments coming from one and the same person! Look at the pattern, the writing style, the longest gap between 2 posts is 2 mins. all the rest are one min., that one tagged as mickee is the obvious winner – imagine 3 messages in one minute and what’s more, it’s on 3 different topics! Fantastic! Hahaha.
If this guy only bothered to read the links then he wouldn’t necessarily give FEU-DLSU a bad reputation. Lawyers, well at least if it’s true as he/she claims he/she is, who don’t check their facts are bound to just become fly-by-night Notary Publics multi tasking in the gutters as pirated DVD vendors.
But I doubt anything this fanatic here had said about him/herself is true.
I’m laughing my fu**ing ass off!!
Anna, ikaw ba yan? Missed you! Welcome back!
To tongue twisted, I regret to inform you that I can type and download my comments easily because I am gifted. The burden of proof is the duty of the party to present evidence on the facts in issue necessary to establish his claim and defense by the amount of evidence required by law. (Section 1, Rule 131 of the Rules of Court) Hence, it is your duty to prove that all the twenty two comments came from one and the same person. I am sorry to inform you that Atty. Mela Bengzon has many followers and believers.
hoy tongue twisted, madali mag akusa mahirap magpatunay. Puro ka daldal!
Ah, gifted ka pala. How much? Hahaha.
Palagay ko, ikaw din yung pekeng Notary Public ni Corona sa Makati. Puro ka Rules of Court, yung basic evidence, hindi mo nakita kahit nasa harap ng mukha mo. Kawawa naman yang law school na FEU-DLSU.
Para hindi ka magmukhang taga-ibang planeta, hayun sa taas, sa kanan, may site search doon lahat ng istorya ng magaling mong titser nandoon.
“…..Hindi naluto iyong biko ko eh… mali yata yung bigas na nakuha ko. Japanese malagkit eh hahahaha..”
malagkit as in tantalizing eyes?
singkit ang mata ng hapon, ah!
ayan na naman, umaatake na naman si multiple personality! hindi gifted ang tawag dyan gago, dissociative identity disorder. heto tissue para pahid mo dyan sa tumutulong laway mo.