Archive for February 19th, 2008
FDC In The News: Picket at the Ombudsman
Our protest action yesterday in front of the Office of the Ombudsman in time for the preliminary investigation on the controversial ZTE-NBN deal came out today in The Daily Tribune (Page 1 photo and Page 3 article), BusinessMirror (Page 5 article), Malaya (Page 1 article), SunStar (online article), Hataw (Page 1 photo), and yesterday in online GMANews.TV (Photo). Said protest action was covered and aired over dzMM, dzME, dwIZ, dzXL-RMN and ANC.
Malaya
19 February 2008, Page 1
http://www.malaya.com.ph/feb19/news6.htm
Independent prober urged; Mike a no-show; classmate Gutierrez inhibits herself
BY PETER TABINGO
(Con’t)
The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) described Gutierrez’s gesture as an “act of hypocrisy.”
“The people are not gullible. Just because Gutierrez defaulted from the case, it does not automatically mean this institution can provide us with genuine justice and political clarity. Its long history of inaction and of being fence sitters amid rampant graft and corruption is phenomenal,” said Milo Tanchuling, FDC secretary general.
BusinessMirror
19 February 2008, Page 5
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/02192008/nation02.html
Gutierrez recuses from ZTE deal investigation
By Rene Acosta
Reporter
(Con’t)
The Ombudsman’s action was, however, dismissed by the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), calling it as “too late.”
“Though we welcome Ombudsman Gutierrez’s decision to recuse from the investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman remains morally weak—lacking the needed integrity to search for truth and accountability,” the FDC through its secretary general, Milo Tanchuling, said in a statement.
“The people are not gullible. Just because Gutierrez defaulted from the case, it does not automatically mean this institution can provide us with genuine justice and political clarity. Its long history of inaction and of being a fence-sitter amid rampant graft and corruption is phenomenal,” Tanchuling said.”
The Daily Tribune
19 February 2008, Page 3
http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/20080219nat1.html
DoJ starts own probe in NBN, to look into Lozada’s finances
(Con’t)
Meanwhile, despite the inhibition of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez from hearing the cases filed against the Mr. Arroyo, Abalos and other government officials in connection with the NBN scam, a group of anti-debt advocates criticized Gutierrez for acting “too late” on the case.
Gutierrez announced her decision to inhibit before the start of the preliminary investigation on the nine consolidated cases relating to the broadband controversy.
“Though we welcome Ombudsman Gutierrez’s decision to inhibit herself from the investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman remains morally weak, lacking the needed integrity to search for truth and accountability,” the Freedom from Debt Coalition through its secretary general, Milo Tanchuling, said in a statement.
SunStar
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2008/02/19/gutierrez.inhibits.self.from.ombud.probe.on.nbn.mess.html
Gutierrez inhibits self from Ombud probe on NBN mess
(Con’t)
The Ombudsman’s action was however dismissed by the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), calling it “too late.”
“Though we welcome Ombudsman Gutierrez’s decision to inhibit herself from the investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman remains morally weak-lacking the needed integrity to search for truth and accountability,” the FDC through its secretary general, Milo Tanchuling, said in a statement.
“The people are not gullible. Just because Gutierrez defaulted from the case, it does not automatically mean this institution can provide us with genuine justice and political clarity. Its long history of inaction and of being fence sitters amid rampant graft and corruption is phenomenal,” Tanchuling said.
Hataw
19 February 2008, Banner photo
By Alex Mendoza
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