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Malacañang on Monday expressed confidence that the
administration will weather the exposé of Rodolfo Noel
Lozada Jr. on alleged irregularities in the botched
national broadband network (NBN) deal with a Chinese
company, saying it has survived “more serious”
challenges in the past.
Press
Secretary Ignacio Bunye also said in an interview that
while Malacañang respects the call of the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for
“communal action” following fresh allegations of
corruption attending the NBN deal with ZTE Corp., it
believes such a move is still “premature.”
Asked
whether the administration would survive the Lozada
exposé, Bunye said: “People are tired of
destabilization. And we have had more serious problems
before and the trend of street protests have been going
down consistently.”
Bunye
added the people would rather experience the benefits of
a “growing economy,” so “it’s in the best interest of
anyone to keep our conditions stable.”
On
demands for the President’s resignation, Bunye said
Malacañang remains “firm in our belief and in our stand
that the President has a mandate until 2010.”
When
asked, Bunye shared Malacañang’s impressions from the
Senate inquiry into the ZTE deal that was still going on
at the time, among them that the police team who secured
Lozada upon his arrival at the international airport
“apparently acted in good faith” as “they were after the
safety of the witness and they took action accordingly.”
He said
another Palace impression is “it begins to appear that
the previous testimony of the witness is full of
inconsistencies.”
“The
circumstances would lead one to conclude that an
abduction or a kidnapping has taken place, had been
refuted by Secretary [Lito] Atienza and those who took
the stand,” Bunye said.
He added
based on the testimony of Lozada’s security detail,
Lozada was not restricted from contacting anyone through
his mobile telephone.
“If he
had any concern, he could have called some relatives, as
in fact, he did call some outside parties. It also
appears that there is some bad faith on the part of
those who filed the writ for habeas corpus and writ of
amparo considering that he was already in the protection
of the La Salle Brothers and that fact is known to the
family,” Bunye said.
Reacting
to the CBCP’s call for “communal action” following
developments in the case, Bunye said: “We respect the
CBCP’s call for communal action but consider it
premature. Communal action precisely calls for
circumspection, a consideration of all the facts, and
due regard for that will serve the common good in the
long term.”
He
reiterated that “the proper venue for the determination
of truth and justice lies in the courts, not in an
emotionally charged forum.”
He said
the “communal action” called for by the CBCP is “subject
to so many interpretations,” and that Malacañang’s
interpretation is “a collective action for the search
for truth and obtaining justice,” including prayer and
divine guidance.
“We
believe that there are many modes for obtaining this but
we believe that obtaining the facts, obtaining the clear
picture of the circumstances could be done in a forum
which is not emotionally charged,” he said.
In a
statement, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said
Malacañang supports the call of Archbishop Angel
Lagdameo, CBCP president, for “communal prayer, soul
searching and other community activities in accordance
with the CBCP’s call last month for all sectors to
collectively work for moral renewal to fight the age-old
scourge of corruption.”
Asked
whether Malacañang would initiate moves to meet with
CBCP officials regarding their latest statement, Bunye
said Malacañang can only reiterate its “openness” to
meet with leaders of all religious denominations, not
only the Roman Catholic Church.
“The
Palace has always been open to meet with all respected
Church leaders not just CBCP but all others who may have
a say on this particular issue,” he said.
Bunye
also said the statement of Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz
that “communal action” is tantamount to “people power,”
is “his own interpretation.”
On
reports that National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales
is monitoring reported moves by the opposition to stage
a power-grab using the Lozada issue, Bunye said: “I’m
not in a position to dispute that statement, that’s
precisely the job of the National Security Adviser. And
I think he would be sleeping on his job if he doesn’t
monitor events or he doesn’t analyze events as they
unfold.” |
