Pedestrian Observer GB: Golfing Buddies & ZTE scandalous deals

What’s wrong with ZTE execs as golf pals? Abalos as he "innocently" asked in the Malaya headline by Gerard Naval. A lot if you ask Representative Carlos Padilla, Jarius Bondoc and Black & White Movement in a deal that will cost the taxpaying Filipinos a whopping US$329Million.

It seems that the head honcho of the “math wizards” that invented a new formula defying even rocket scientist equations of our times with their dagdag (add) bawas (substract) is the subject of Jarius Bondoc’s ongoing series of articles one of which is the scandalous ZTE deal conceived in hotel 'sexcapades', Philippine Star as pointed out by the recent press release of Black & White Movement. Abalos disputes the allegations on Bondoc’s article and says the ZTE officials were just his "golfing buddies" that lavished each other with food….. Whaaaaat? Does he think he is with that diFATlicious errr divalicious Malu Fernandez that needs to be overfed to sustain the walking in-house lard factory?

The problem with this and other scandalous deals when it involves government people is lack of transparency, in this case no bidding was held because it was supposedly a government to government negotiation. Assuming it was so it does not mean that the negotiations should be shrouded in secrecy as if this involves a national security breach, they should be more transparent and open in cases such as this and one, especially if it involves hundreds of millions of dollars that the government does not have. In this case while Abalos took pain in telling a story a lie errr his side of the story and admitted ties with ZTE officials he did not answer an earlier querry (perhaps thinking it is just a minor inconsequential detail?) on who took care of the bill in his China trip. Geeez the Philippines really need to strengthen perjury laws if they want to straighten out and get the facts in dealing with people in high places, it appears that he is now admitting that ZTE paid for his China trip. Oh boy talk of the proverbial finding a neddle in a haystack........... which is just how it is in most of the scandalous government deals.

They just don’t get it they act as if they are saints uh huh yeah right we really can trust government officials especially the selected errr elected and appointed ones. Who are they kidding anyway no one trust a politician in the land of cheats especially when you see a guy named Joey Marquez a former basketball player turned politician gets convicted for overpricing a walis tingting (broom stick) of all things, que horror que Diva(lyena) de mala malu costing his former constituents P2.7Million. How blatant can this guy get? This is too much just like the overfed di na bale (never mind) that can’t control her urge to overstuff her mouth with food this guy buys 139,462 walis tingting (hard brooms) is just mind boggling.

The best thing about this broomstick former mayor is we see the Office of the Special Prosecutor doing a good job of pursuing a graft case brought about by the COA (Commission on Audit) findings on irregularities in the bidding process and the P462,708 overpricing. Kudos too the Sandiganbayan in handing out a 30-page decision convicting Marquez for 5 counts of graft earning him a 30 to 50 years jail time. Convicted along with the broom stick mayor turned comedian actor are former city treasurer Silvestre S. de Leon, former general services office OIC Ofelia C. Caunan and former city accountant Marilou C. Tanael for causing undue injury to the government when they authorized the purchase of broomsticks between January 1996 to September 1997. We can’t get ecstatic over this as yet, not yet anyway as they were told to post P150,000 additional cash bonds each aside from the P90,000 bail for their temporary liberty pending an appeal. We can only cross our fingers that the higher court will uphold the decision of Sandiganbayan and let these convicted officials rot in jail…. that is so long as they don’t get the very famous presidential pardon given away like candy to friends of the present dispensatong errr dispensation. Looking at what the Broomstick mayor has to say after the conviction makes me leery which I quote:
"We’re a long way off from jail. This is part of the risk of being a public servant"

Geez, what does that mean exactly anyway? Does it mean that it is normal for a public servant to get charge with corruption and get convicted as standard operating procedure among "honest" ever so clean armed with broom sticks fooliticians?

What has this puny transaction and inconsequential broomstick thing have in common with the ZTE hundreds of million dollar deal? They both did not go through public bidding, overpriced acquisition of convicted mayor of broom stick Marquez while ZTE’s US$329 compared to other proposal will cost the government more.

Now do I really have to stop this fat jokes on the DiFATlicious errr Divalicious and Manolo Quezon quoted this political Jaywalker as saying enough of fat jokes which is really not accurate. On the contrary I can’t get enough of the fat jokes on Malu Fernandez, because I do believe in karma…… you reap what you sow. Do I have a problem with fat people? Definitely not, but I have a problem with a thinking rich thinking ilit (foreclosed) errrr elite pretentious wanna be economy class riding passenger wanting to be treated like the queen of fat errr Sheeba as if her “exclusive space” is getting invaded by lowly mortals that happens to be the migrant workers.

My unsolicited advice to those who think that bloggers and those in the online community's "violent" reactions as just another form of lynch mob and as guilty of the same prejudice and bigotry as the DiFATlicious.... let it go. This is an exercise in OFW empowerment and sending a strong message that you can't belittle and insult a sector that plays a major role in the sinking economy without repercussions. Today we shave the fat errrr deal with elitist sick mindset..... next in the "agenda" is learning to work together and unravel the "mystery" of strategic alliance.... it can be done as long as we recognize the power of solidarity. Just remember this.... the world does not revolve around you and instead of pointing out what's wrong with "them" (which is basically us) for a change lets focus on what needs to be done to empower the Overseas Filipinos Worldwide as a major organized political and economic force working for the common good.

Subscribe in a reader

Click on the images to receive your free email updates
POGB will not sell, exchange, use or allow any 3rd party access to your email for
any other purposes without exception, email exclusively for article updates only.