Press Release
February 11, 2009

Pia lauds World Bank commitment to submit corruption report

Senate opposition member Pia S. Cayetano today welcomed the commitment relayed by a World Bank official to the Senate to submit a redacted copy of its report on the alleged rigging of contracts for road projects under the WB-funded National Roads Improvement and Management Program (NRIMP).

"The decision of the World Bank to submit an official copy is most welcome. This would dispel the lame defense being put up by those implicated in the report that the accusations are nothing but hearsay, just because the Senate could not produce an official copy that identifies the suspects and their respective involvement," said Cayetano, reacting to reports that WB country director for East Asia and Pacific Region Bert Hoffman had agreed to provide an official copy to Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

"This also neutralizes the non-cooperation of Malacañang which, for reasons only known to it, refuses to volunteer its official copy of the report to the Senate like it is hiding something, or protecting someone," she added.

"Ideally the conduct of the Senate probe should be to start from the recommendations of the official report, so it could summon the resource persons and subpoena all necessary documents. Malacañang's obstructionism has disrupted this legislative process, but it won't stop the Senate from pursuing the investigation."

Cayetano also expressed disappointment over the refusal of the camp of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo to have him subjected to a written or oral deposition, citing his health condition.

"According to his counsel, FG is healthy enough to play golf outdoors, but not fit enough to execute an oral or even a written deposition which can be conducted indoors under controlled and comfortable conditions. How convenient! The Senate should send its own team of doctors to examine Mr. Arroyo, just like we did in the case of Joc-joc Bolante."

"This is truly deplorable. FG's refusal to testify and the government's refusal to produce the World Bank report clearly show a concerted effort to prevent the truth from coming out."

"The corruption issue has become a matter of national development and security. Major donor countries and multilateral institutions are already considering cutting foreign aid because of widespread corruption, which is being traced to the highest levels of this government. If Malacañang really cares about the long-term effects of reduced foreign aid to the country and future generations, then it must make itself accountable," she concluded.

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