'Transparency group' to check vs corruption - Arroyo

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday reiterated that the government remains committed to the fight against corruption, even as allegations of corruption against members of her administration persist. In her statement opening the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board meeting, President Arroyo said the government's Procurement Transparency group meets today to address the country's corruption problems. The PTG is the same body Mrs Arroyo created last year to look into the controversial $329.48 million national broadband network project deal with ZTE Corp. of China. "The Procurement Transparency Group is tasked to install antigraft watchdogs in government offices. The group includes not only government departments like Budget, Justice and NEDA, but also civil society groups who will keep watch over government contracts," Mrs Arroyo said. President Arroyo said the budget for the Office of the Ombudsman has also been doubled, enabling the country's main antigraft agency to hire more investigators and prosecutors. The President also said that in recent years, her administration has already spent P3 billion to battle corruption. President Arroyo made her speech amid allegations and insinuations that the contract with ZTE was overpriced to make way for $130 million in kickbacks benefiting her husband First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos. - GMANews.TV