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Major cases of corruption under the Macapagal-Arroyo regime
- CODE-NGO, a non-governmental organization led by persons within Macapagal-Arroyo�s Cabinet and "Soc Dem" elements close to her, was able to rake in P1.4 billion. It was anomalously granted the sole franchise in, and profited from, a huge commission in its sale of P10billion worth of PEACe bonds. No more than sales talk and close connections to Malaca�ang and the Department of Finance served as CODE-NGO�s starting capital in monopolizing the PEACe bonds and earning huge profits from the latter�s sale.
- Presidential husband Mike Arroyo dipped his finger in the coffers of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, using millions from these funds to defray expenses in the May elections and for other purposes.
- Just five days after the new government was installed, the contract with the Argentine firm Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona SA (IMPSA) for the rehabilation of the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydroelectric plant was approved. Justice Secretary Hernando Perez and Macapagal-Arroyo herself have been accused of cooking up the deal.
- Macapagal-Arroyo demanded ownership of half the shares of the Philippine Commnications Clearinghouse Inc. (PCCI) from Pacifico Marcelo in exchange for the withdrawal of her veto of a proposal establishing PCCI's monopoly over the administration of interconnections among telecommunications companies, a business estimated to rake in P53 billion annually. This occurred when Macapagal-Arroyo called Marcelo for a secret meeting in Malaca�ang. With Marcelo's refusal, cases have been filed against him in court. Macapagal-Arroyo has rationalized that she made the demand not for herself but "for the government".
- A deal has been forged granting Danding Cojuangco ownership of the coco levy funds and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) shares and subsequently, control over SMC and other entities acquired with the use of these funds. This, in exchange for Cojuangco's political support and substantial financial contributions to Macapagal-Arroyo's 2004 campaign. Macapagal-Arroyo's recent appointment of People Power Coalition spokesman and deputy campaign manager Conrado "Dodie" Limcaoco is in recognition of his key role in forging the deal with Cojuangco. Macapagal-Arroyo has told Limcaoco that for now, his main task is to "open up at the earliest possible time" the coco levy funds, which have accumulated over the past 16 years. One deal currently being fixed involves the determination of means by which Cojuangco could gain full ownership of SMC.
- The government has withdrawn its tax evasion case against Lucio Tan in exchange for Tan's shift of support from Estrada to Macapagal-Arroyo.
- Macapagal-Arroyo and Presidential Spokesman and Press Secretary Rigoberto Tiglao's close associate George Baviera serves as mediator in ransom negotiations for the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages.
- Senators and congressmen including those from the Macapagal-Arroyo camp have accepted bribes from the Estradas in exchange for their endorsement of Estrada's request to go to the US supposedly to seek treatment for his knee ailment.
- Malaca�ang now has control of continued, brisk jueteng operations through jueteng lords close to Macapagal-Arroyo and AFP and PNP officials.
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 March 2002
English Edition
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Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and standpoint on current issues.
AB comes out fortnightly. It is published originally in Pilipino and translated into Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.
Acrobat PDF files of AB are available online for downloading and offline reading printing. If you wish to receive copies of AB via email, click here. |
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