The ZTE-NBN Deal: What now?

[radiostar]

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oust arroyo now!

[cebu-future]

oust arroyo now!

ahahahahaha kadako nga pangarap

[Juan Miguel]

^^^ Pangarap na malapit nang ma2pad. I don't think Donya Pidal can last up to 2010. She manipulated & admitted publicly the 2004 elections w/ the cooperation of Abalos & his subordinates. The NBN ZTE was supposed to be Abalos's "premyo" for making it happen.



EDITORIAL — The cost of corruption

Saturday, February 9, 2008
He may be charged with complicity in corruption, but former Philippine Forest Corp. president Rodolfo Lozada Jr. appears ready for the worst, bracing himself for retaliation by the administration. After saying “mea culpa” over his own sins yesterday, he revealed that government contracts are typically overpriced by 20 percent to factor in kickbacks.

This has been suspected all along by many Filipinos, but confirmation of the public’s worst suspicions does not reduce the disgust over the cost of corruption. Lozada, still distraught but now regaining his sense of humor, told the Senate in a day-long session yesterday that trouble started when Benjamin Abalos, at the time the chairman of the Commission on Elections, demanded a $130-million kickback from bro-kering the national broadband network or NBN deal — an amount that was double the usual kickback percentage. Abalos has threatened to sue Lozada for spreading lies.

The kickback amounts allegedly involved, as Abalos pointed out, are staggering — but not unbelievable, especially if the money must be shared with others. Kickbacks are suspected in everything, from patchwork road repairs to big-ticket projects including the NBN deal between ZTE Corp. and the Department of Transportation and Communications as well as the Southrail project, which Lozada said was overpriced by $70 million.

The corrupt will argue that since kickbacks are normally not taken directly from public funds, the beneficiaries are not stealing from national coffers. But the public does end up paying for corruption. Those who factor in corruption as a cost of doing business recover that cost through higher road toll or utility rates, for example. If the project is financed with a foreign loan, taxpayers must bear the burden of repaying it, no matter how low the interest rate.

Lozada decried the “dysfunctional” government procurement system that allows such kickbacks to go unchecked. Left unsaid at the Senate session yesterday was that even lawmakers get kickbacks from projects funded with their pork barrel. If Congress can pass legislation to put an end to that dysfunctional system, it will earn public respect.

[Velvett]

no wonder i DETEST paying taxes

[INFRACTION]

@mango sorry for my posting of 700million... it was 700 thousand... my apologies

[FK]

Miriam Santiago trying to discredit Lozada? Hahaha... she even made him more credible. :P

all-powerful abalos. controlling GMA due to the fact to what happen in 2004.

The picture is so much clearer now. from the wiretapping, cheating, fertilizer scam.
Those person who still love GMA? You need evidence? Look at your GMA and all those people surrounding her, and you can see the evidence, as what the inquirer editorial says.

Is this guy Mr JLo really proves that he is credible? I've seen some footage on the net during the senate inquiry and observe the way he answers the questions.. seems like he is on a play. Is he following a game plan?.. a script or somekind? voice out your opinions

If he is following a script at least it's consistent, not like your GMA tuta, nga ang script mura og gkan sa pito2x movies. hahaha...

[namewala]

Miriam Santiago trying to discredit Lozada? Hahaha... she even made him more credible. :P

all-powerful abalos. controlling GMA due to the fact to what happen in 2004.

The picture is so much clearer now. from the wiretapping, cheating, fertilizer scam.
Those person who still love GMA? You need evidence? Look at your GMA and all those people surrounding her, and you can see the evidence, as what the inquirer editorial says.

I agree..............RES IPSA LOQUITOR...........gyud.............hahaha!
and take this : what will lozada stand to gain by taking a stance against the almighty GMA? Can it recompense for what he is doomed to lose by earning the little woman's wrath ?

[edgeknife]

samok na kaayu.... PGMA must resign now....

dili kibaw mo badlong sa iya bana...

[namewala]

iya bana di sad kabadlong niya............spoiled and rotten little, cunning brat man si GMA...........

[mango]

@Juan Miguel

I think the word DYSFUNCTIONAL will best describe the leaders we have. The government procurement system won't be dysfunctional if we don't have corrupt people manning it.

@infraction
No problem, bro. Have a nice day!