ZTE-NBN Scandal (Reaction Paper)
March 1, 2008"Anak, ang taong nagsisinungaling ay hindi tatangkad, liliit ang mga paa, uusli ang ngipin at tutuban ng nunal sa pisngi." -Jhiosdado Macapagal
After the Hello Graci scandal, another scandal arises that tries to de-throne President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from precidency, the ZTE-NBN deal scandal. This has been a big issue since the whistle-blower Joey De Venecia, son of the former House Speaker Jose De Venecia, brought the issue to the media. From that on there have been upheaval regarding the issue, and many big names in politics have been involved most particularly the President herself and the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. The issue became more controversial when the star witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, Jr. came home from Hongkong with alleged issue that some high-ranking officials kidnapped him. With that, the snowballing of issue cannot be contained anymore. More and more personalities become involve, the civil society and church made their statements. Government officials, politicians, civic and church leaders, both from the pro- and anti-administration made their statements and proclaiming their so-called “truth”. But then the common “tao” like us is still wondering, who is telling the truth? And what is the truth on the ZTE-NBN issue?
Last February 11, I’d watched the live coverage of the NBN probe held in the senate. Several personalities have been questioned including Jun Lozada, Lito Atienza, some high-ranking military officials and many others, all of them claimed that they are all honest and testifying the truth and nothing but the truth. Then, Senator Enrile said, and I quote “kung minsan ang kalokohan ay nagiging katotohanan at ang katotohanan ay nagiging kalokohan” (sometimes the foolishness becomes the truth and the truth becomes the foolishness). That statement have really caught my bored senses at that time, I realized that it’s absolutely true and undoubtedly a reality. Those greedy and deceitful politicians tweak and twist the lie and convinced the people to accept it as the truth.
The ZTE-NBN deal is a very ambitious and very lucrative project of Arroyo administration with its major objective to centralize the communication system of the government offices and for the modernization of the current system. The project is so ideal and would create a large positive impact on the bureaucracy. This project would suppose to improve the services offered by the government to the masses, but due to current controversy this project was gone like a smoke. Then the great question “Who’s to blame?” was once again asked. Everybody then is pointing fingers at somebody and everyone is washing their hands concerning the issue.
Sometimes I just would to close my eyes and choose not to hear. I don’t want to take part on to it, ayokong maki-alam, but I don’t have a choice because in one way or another, whether I like or not, as a citizen of this country I am affected.
Did President Arroyo, her family and her political allies made lots money in the ZTE-NBN deal? I don’t know. Was there really a monkey business in the ZTE-NBN deal? I don’t know. Are they really threatening Neri and offered him lots of money so that he would not testify against the administration? I don’t know. Is Jun Lozada telling the truth? Again, I don’t know. It is only God who knows the truth. There is only one truth that I know, and that is, it us the common tao, the masses who will be more affected more than anyone else. It us, our children to be, and the next generation to come who will suffer the consequences of their greed and lies. God help us.
For funny version of this article read the "Ang Unano at ang Batalyon PitVul" in http://tambayannibyter.i.ph
Previous Comments
@mary ann cuizon — Thanks for the comments. Let ’s pray for our country.
Posted by byterslair at March 4, 2008, 9:23 ammaybe jun lozada telling the truth…. for what he risk his life to make a lie statement… maybe he did that coz he is now in way of no return…
Posted by soluphlyt at March 5, 2008, 11:54 am@soluphlyt –maybe he is, maybe he is not. but i like the guy’s sense of humor, smiling in the midst of adversity. Thanks for the comment
Posted by byterslair at March 5, 2008, 1:37 pmsana nga ay matigil na ang walang humpay na bangayan ng senado ukol sa ZTE deal na yan na nagsisira lang lalo sa imahe ng bawat Pilipino…
Posted by darryl at March 11, 2008, 9:25 pmtruth?
Posted by mc at March 13, 2008, 11:03 pmi really admire when jun lozada came out and telling us what he have know..but for know jun lozada is very suck..gusto nyah mag fah gamit sah ibah..parang pulitiko nah cyah..mai fah province travel fah cyah..anong maku2ha nyah sah pag puntah sah mga ibang lugar>? mai balak bah cyahng tumakbo? duh…
Posted by karl at March 17, 2008, 12:14 pmthat’s why, in a dollar bill, there is an indication “in god, we trust”.there for, we should only trust god. because there are so many liars now a days
Posted by Paul "spermie" at March 17, 2008, 4:03 pmthis kind of issue must be disregarded..
there are more big problems in our country hat must be prioritized…
i think this kind of issue is non-sense because only few people can benefit from this…
why not come to www.tradestead.com, just have a fun
Posted by sery at April 27, 2009, 4:22 pmcool
Posted by sery at April 27, 2009, 4:23 pmAll comments are moderated. Your comments will not appear here unless approved by the blog owner. Thank you.
i really like the reaction!it is really true that only God who knows the truth!
Posted by mary ann cuizon at March 3, 2008, 1:13 pm