After former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. linked President Arroyo to the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China's ZTE Corp. and to the alleged attempts to bribe some House members, pro-impeachment lawmakers detailed the president’s involvement in two anomalous contracts.

Pro-impeachment lawmakers on Monday implicated the president to the controversial contracts of North Rail and the agreement that would allow ZTE Corp. to pursue mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal, Compostela Valley.

Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan told the House justice committee that Arroyo violated the constitution when she approved the contract that allows ZTE Corp. to explore, process and use mines in Mt. Diwalwal despite her earlier order for a suspension of mining operations in the area.

“The president sold our gold resources to ZTE,” Ilagan told the panel, adding that the contract is disadvantageous because 90 percent of the revenues will go to ZTE and only 10 percent will go to the Philippines.

The 8,100 hectare Mt. Diwalwal, Ilagan said, covers a forest reserve that includes an ancestral domain.

Ilagan questioned why the contract was awarded to a ZTE Corp, which has no prior experience in mining. He also noted that the same ZTE officials involved in the NBN deal are also the ones involved in the Mt. Diwalwal.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño said that president also violated the constitution when she approved the Northrail contract with China National Machinery and Equipment Corp.

The contract, Casiño said, has no approval from the Monetary Board, is not covered by the government auditing code, and has provisions that are disadvantageous to the government because it is “grossly overpriced”. He added that there was no competitive bidding for the contract.

Other cases

Other cases presented at Monday's hearing were the alleged involvement of Arroyo in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam that was purportedly used to boost her 2004 campaign kitty, the 2004 electoral fraud, and the human rights violations under Arroyo’s administration.

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, said that Arroyo is “criminally, civilly, administratively, and publicly liable” for the extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances.

He alleged that Arroyo approved "extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, illegal arrests, and torture of activists in legal organization members of organizations critical or opposing her government policies and programs."  These are allegedly "main components of her government’s counter insurgency program."

Ocampo added that Arroyo allegedly failed to prosecute the perpetrators of the human rights violations.

“Recital of facts”

San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, meanwhile, reiterated that the presentation of the endorsers of the complaint today is just a “recital of facts.”

"We are not here to determine the guilt or innocence," Zamora said. “ We are here to lay down the reasons on why we have filed the complaints.”

Zamora added that every speaker on impeachment will be an endorser of the complaint so that each of them will be familiar with the cases.

Anti-impeachment lawmakers are expected to speak tomorrow while a summation and debate is expected on Wednesday.

The House committee on justice declared last Tuesday that the impeachment complaint was “sufficient in form” and the committee is now in the process of determining its “sufficiency in substance.”

JDV’s testimony

Zamora, meanwhile, added that former Speaker De Venecia’s earlier statements are explosive and can help boost their case.

“The people on the picture should answer the allegations,” Zamora said referring to de Venecia’s testimony this morning.

De Venecia showed a picture showing himself with President Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, former elections chief Benjamin Abalos and a ZTE official.

Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, meanwhile, agreed that the statement of the former Speaker strengthened the impeachment complaint but “is unlikely to add numbers.”

“Don’t expect additional impeachment backers. True, it will be more expensive for Malacañang to ensure control over the House majority…but at the end of the day, the administration still has control over the House majority," she said.

Palace reaction

In response to De Venecia's disclosures, Presidential Deputy Spokesman Anthony Golez said "impeachment is a political process and JDV's statements were mere political sentiments which serves personal political interests."

"We recognize the congressman's sour graping and we can see that he is still hurting over his ouster as House Speaker by the vast majority of his colleagues for the loss of trust and confidence as their leader," Golez said. (abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak)

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• FG Mike Arroyo: JDV is a liar
• De Venecias ready to face impeachment hearing
• Ocampo scores rights violations under Arroyo

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