Fraport exposes Malaca�ang extort try
The latest expos� on the attempt by the Arroyo regime�s men to extort from Fraport AG is a big blow to the regime. Fraport is a German company that served as the main investor in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 construction project. Fraport formally lodged a complaint about the extort try with the International Center for the Settlement of Investments Disputes (ICSID), a World Bank agency.
Fraport charged that Arroyo�s personal attorney, Atty. F. Arthur Villaraza, and First Gentleman Jose Miguel �Mike� Arroyo, asked for up to $70 million to dislodge the Cheng family, the dummy that fronted as the majority owner of PIATCo. Fraport and PIATCo are investment partners in the NAIA Terminal 3 construction project.
Moreover, Gloria Tan-Climaco, then the presidential adviser for strategic projects, �strongly suggested� that Fraport AG seek the services of the Villaraza- Angangco Law Offices because of its strong connections with Malaca�ang. The law firm holds office at the LTA Building which is owned by Mike Arroyo�s family.
According to Fraport, the government asked it to oust the Cheng family from the project to give way to the entry of Malaca�ang crony Lucio Tan. Also among those who applied direct pressure on Fraport was Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Atty. Avelino Cruz. When Fraport refused to go along with Malaca�ang�s wishes, the Supreme Court nullified Fraport and PIATCo�s contract for the construction project in May.
Wilheim Bender and Manfred Schulch, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of Fraport AG detailed the expos� in a September 17 letter to the ICSID. Fraport asked the ICSID to intercede in the company�s negotiations with the Arroyo government for $425 million in damages to compensate it for the arbitrary invalidation of the contract and the expenses it incurred in the airport�s construction.
| The graft case involving Fraport is merely the latest among the high-profile corruption scandals involving the Arroyo couple. |
The NAIA 3 scandals came to light as early as January when cases were filed with the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) against seven close men of the president in relation to anomalies surrounding the awarding of the NAIA 3 contract to PIATCo. Among those charged with graft was Edgardo Manda, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority and Arroyo�s former deputy chief of staff when she was still vice president. The case was highlighted anew recently when Fraport filed its case with ICSID.
The graft case involving Fraport is merely the latest among the high-profile corruption scandals involving the Arroyo couple. On October 13, Sen. Panfilo Lacson presented the third part of his expos� about the Arroyos� corruption. Included in the 23 pieces of evidence of corruption involving the Arroyo couple is the use of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Government Service Insurance System funds for the president�s political campaign.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has been listed as the 11th most corrupt country by Transparency International, an organization that makes an annual tally of countries throughout the world according to degree of corruption. The Philippines placed 12th the previous year. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines is the fourth most corrupt country, after Bangladesh (which is number one worldwide), Indonesia and Vietnam.
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