Senator says blacklisted firms have copy of WB report

MANILA, Philippines - Opposition Senator Francis Escudero on Monday said he would ask the Senate to subpoena the three Filipino construction firms blacklisted by the World Bank as they have copies of the detailed report on alleged big rigging on government projects. Escudero said World Bank officials told him that the three firms were given copies of the report detailing the accusations against them. "Ang me hawak ng detalye ng akusasyon binigay daw nila matagal na sa mga kontratistang respondent at inaakusahan nila na gumawa ng anomalya kaugnay sa bidding ng World Bank projects [The details of the accusations have been forwarded to the contractors]," Escudero told reporters. He said the World Bank officials also told him that the copy furnished to the Department of Finance was just a general direction of the alleged corruption and bid rigging. "Yan ang hihilingin kong isubpoena ng komite mula sa mga contractor na inakusahan ng pagkakamali at paglabag sa batas. Hindi sila nagsasalita me kopya pala sila ng detalyadong akusasyon ng World Bank at kinumpirma sa akin ng mga opisyal ng World Bank [I will ask the Senate committee to subpoena na report given to the contractors. They were mum on the issue when it is they who have a copy of the detailed accusations. It was confirmed to me by World Bank officials]," Escudero said. Last week, Escudero had a one hour meeting with Shaun Moss, the Regional Procurement Manager of the Central Operational Service Unit in the East Asia and Pacific Region; Ben Gericke, Senior Transport Engineer; and Senior Operations Officer Steve Charles Burgess at the World Bank headquarters. He said the report contains not only the allegations against the three companies but also the evidence gathered by the World Bank against them. He said the World Bank officials also told him that despite receiving the notice on the allegations, the three Filipino firms failed to answer or explain their side. "Hindi man lang sinubukang linisin at iwasto yung mga akusasyon laban sa kanila. Sa punto de bista ng batas, admission by silence yun. [They never exerted effort to clear their names and correct the accusations hurled against the. That is admission by silence]," Escudero said. He added the World Bank officials were careful not to name names including that of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo whose name was reportedly mentioned in the excerpts of the report. "Dahil sa punto de bista ng World Bank trabaho at obligasyon na ng Philippine government na linisin ang anumang anomalya at katiwalian sa pamahalaan [The World Bank believes it is the obligation of the Philippine government to cleanse its government of anomalies and corruption]," Escudero said. "Lookout natin, obligasyon natin na bantayan ang kapakanan natin at kaban ng bayan kung saka-sakali [It is our lookout, our obligation to guard our welfare and people's money]," the senator added. - GMANews.TV