Monte de Oro wins Transco bid

[balatucan]

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This is another reason why majority of the Filipinos have negative perceptions on the Arroyo administration.

http://www.uniffors.com/?p=1246
Enrique Razon’s Monte Oro Grid Resources, in partnership with Calaca High Power Corp. and China’s State Grid Corporation, won the bid for the Transco power grid concession.

The bid was awarded by the Power Sector Assets and Liablities Management Corp. (PSALM), a government agency headed by Jose Ibazeta, a director on the board of at least one Razon company.

Ibazeta assures us there’s no conflict of interest there.

He said, “And everything’s so transparent, so how can it be said that this is ‘lutong macao’?”

Definitely it’s not “lutong macao”. The Chinese partner is from the mainland not Macao. If we must use analogy, the correct term is “shanghied”. Like the NBN deal.

But that has nothing to do with winning the bid because we know this regime does not tolerate corruption.

Enrique Razon was the treasurer of Team Unity. He is a very close associate not only of Mike and Gloria Arroyo but also Gloria’s brother, Diosdado “Buboy” Macapagal Jr., who is connected with Monte Oro.

But there’s nothing wrong with that Raul Gonzalez of justice assured us. He said Buboy was only a nominal member of the Monte Oro board.

“Assuming that he participated, it’s unfair that just because he is the brother of the President, he will be deprived of joining (the auction). He’s a legitimate businessman,” said Gonzalez. Just like Joey De Venecia.

“It was the corporation that participated. The personality of the corporation is different from the individual,” he added. Just like AHI was to Joey De Venecia.

The last time we heard about Enrique Razon was on the morning when Joey De Venecia testified before the Senate about an interesting conversation he had with Mr. Razon. That was the morning of the afternoon of the day when Erap was pardoned.

At any rate, here’s the story told by Joey. (I’m quoting from my own report of that testimony.)

(START) “He (Joey De Venecia) said he called Razon after the famous back-off encounter with Mike Arroyo. Razon asked him to go to the ICTSI office in Port Area.

Jamby (Sen. Madrigal) asked, What happened there?

Joey replied, I told Razon about the back off incident.

He (Razon) reacted: “Putangina kasi yung Abalos na yan. Sinabi pa niya kay Mike meron siyang 70 million dollars dito, hindi na nakalimutan ni Mike.” (END)

The testimony would have made bigger headlines than “Back Off!” but it was buried by news of Erap’s sudden pardon. I’m not implying the pardon was rushed to bury Joey’s revelation. I know this regime would never do that.

Anyway, it’s the biggest privatization in Philippine history. For $3.9 billion, 25% down and 20 years to pay the balance at market rate plus 2.3%, the Razon-led consortium got the Transco power grid concession that includes transmission lines with fiber optic broadband capability. BROADBAND TOO when the deal pushes through.

But it’s not yet a done deal. A joint Senate-House investigation committee, co-chaired by Sen. Miriam Santiago and Rep. Mikey Arroyo, is still looking into it.

If there’s anything wrong with the deal, you can be sure the co-chairs will see to it that anybody liable will be held accountable. “And you can take that to the bank,” as Enron executives used to say.

And that’s why Miriam immediately cleared Ibazeta.

“He (Ibazeta) is saying that there is no conflict of interest. I am chair of a terminal services corporation and we are here dealing with the power sector, so I don’t see any conflict between terminal services and the power sector,” Santiago said.

But it turns out that it’s really none of her business. “Whether there is any irregularity in the bidding process itself or in the projected dire consequences of the sale to this winning bidder, that will be taken up by another committee,” Santiago said.

To male a long story short, and to put everyone’s suspicions to rest, Mrs. Arroyo’s mayor domo, Cerge Remonde said, “The Palace has nothing to do with the awarding of the bids in the power industry.”

So there. They won it fair and square.

[giddyboy]

i beg to disagree, this (the transco bid) is not one of the reasons why people have that negative perception against gma & admin.

The reason? THE VICIOUS MEDIA & OPPOSITION, again.

HOW? Here's how:

"Senator Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal earlier alleged that Buboy Macapagal are somewhat connected with Monte Oro, whose senior partner was Enrique Razon, treasurer of the administration's Team Unity ticket in the May 2007 senatorial elections."

NOW NOTICE THE WORDS "ALLEGED" AND "SOMEWHAT CONNECTED"...

"Gonzalez also challenged critics of the Transco auction to bring the matter to the Supreme Court (SC) if they insist that the deal was a "lutong macao" or a mere farce."

"CRITICS" MENTIONED COULD BE OPPOSITION, MEDIA, ETC...
LOOK! EVEN UR THREAD STARTED W/ A CRITIC'S (MANUEL BUENCAMINO) OPINION FOR THAT MATTER...
GONZALES ALREADY CHALLENGED THE CRITICS TO BRING IT TO THE SC...SO WAT R WE WAITING FOR?

"Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo also defended the sale of Transco, saying there is a US$45-million difference between the winning bidder and San Miguel, the losing bidder.

Saludo said perceived connection or closeness with Malacañang by the winning bidder is not enough basis to say that there was rigging. He said it would be more anomalous if the lower bid won."

KLARO BA?

"Fair is fair. What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander"- quoted from Cerge Remonde

to view the complete article, here's the link:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man...r.transco.html

wat im saying is dat it's not good to conclude immediately that there is malice or bid-rigging w/o valid evidence first...ky mapareho nya ta ni Trilla (his glorietta bombing statement). Allegations coming from a woman senator has perceptive effects on the people...

in my own opinion as of this time, the most we could do is only speculate...

[balatucan]

Razon, the treasurer of Team Unity. Razon is the same person who is involved the NBN/ZTE deal.

At the height of the NBN ZTE Broadband controversy, some people accused Joey de Venecia of using his influence. Now when it is GMAs brother, they are singing a different tune.

But what could the people do, they are in power. They can use it for their personal ends.

[giddyboy]

Razon, the treasurer of Team Unity. Razon is the same person who is involved the NBN/ZTE deal.

At the height of the NBN ZTE Broadband controversy, some people accused Joey de Venecia of using his influence. Now when it is GMAs brother, they are singing a different tune.

But what could the people do, they are in power. They can use it for their personal ends.

could be, could be not...wala gyud ta kbalo ana... ky mere speculations ra jud na tanan.

what the people could do? Gonzales already challenged everybody to bring this issue to the SC. wat more do we want pa diay?

[balatucan]

could be, could be not...wala gyud ta kbalo ana... ky mere speculations ra jud na tanan.

what the people could do? Gonzales already challenged everybody to bring this issue to the SC. wat more do we want pa diay?

filing a case is another story. But it is apparent that the sale was "shanghied." There is no delicadeza of those who are in power today.

They are immune to negative public opinion.

[balatucan]

In the Amsterdam Holding International case in the NBN deal, Luli Arroyo was quoted that Joey de Venecia used his influence to corner government contracts.

But to borrow the argument of DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzales, the personality of the corporation is different from its members.

So why would tehy accuse Joey de Venecia then and not Buboy Macapagal now?

Is this another case of double standard? Wheres the rule of law here?

[giddyboy]

filing a case is another story. But it is apparent that the sale was "shanghied." There is no delicadeza of those who are in power today.

They are immune to negative public opinion.

why is filing a case another story?

and "apparently" shanghied? wat does dat mean?

"So why would they accuse Joey de Venecia then and not Buboy Macapagal now? " ...u can find dat out for yourself.

[M.A.D.]

OT: Anyone who is in the prawn business here knows that the supply of prawns is controlled. Some of you are familiar with the vannamei shrimp.


The BFAR sees to it that this species of shrimp do not proliferate as it will flood the market which can cause the price of shrimps to dwindle. And this would be bad for some folks holding government positions, since they hold the majority of the market share.


But to date, i don't know if this is still the case. "scratch my back and i'll scratch your back"

[budmendz]

Mosulti na gani si Joey de Venecia mora nalang gyud ba ug siya maoy katuhu-an pirme. Mora nalang gyud ba ug ang PSALM nga usa ka collegial body nga daghan ang motampo sa ilang desisyon maoy dili angayan nga tuhu-an. Mao man gud niy nakaparat sa Pinoy kay ang mga tawo nga maoy magsugud ug mga kontrobersyal nga isyu mao sa kadugayan ang mga credible.
Pareho ni Jamby. Ug nagduda cya nga gi-luto nganong wa man cya modawat sa hagit nga iya bang tugbangan o palabwan ang nakadaug sa bidding kay aron adto niya i award ang maong business interest. Pero mao lagi pabulala-ay man gud sa baba madugay ba mao nga tawon c Jamby wa manumbaling sa hagit.

[giddyboy]

Mosulti na gani si Joey de Venecia mora nalang gyud ba ug siya maoy katuhu-an pirme. Mora nalang gyud ba ug ang PSALM nga usa ka collegial body nga daghan ang motampo sa ilang desisyon maoy dili angayan nga tuhu-an. Mao man gud niy nakaparat sa Pinoy kay ang mga tawo nga maoy magsugud ug mga kontrobersyal nga isyu mao sa kadugayan ang mga credible.
Pareho ni Jamby. Ug nagduda cya nga gi-luto nganong wa man cya modawat sa hagit nga iya bang tugbangan o palabwan ang nakadaug sa bidding kay aron adto niya i award ang maong business interest. Pero mao lagi pabulala-ay man gud sa baba madugay ba mao nga tawon c Jamby wa manumbaling sa hagit.

korek! daghan mau mag-spinmaster...