Cayetano siblings lead probe of Korean firm

BY DENNIS GADIL

THE Cayetano siblings have joined hands in investigating alleged bribery by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co Ltd. of South Korea to determine President Arroyo’s culpability.

"Parang this is the second time from the ZTE (bribery scandal) na may nagsumbong kay Presidente at imbes na pa-imbestigahan niya yung kompanya, e mas lalong napabilis ang implementation," Blue Ribbon chair Alan Peter Cayetano said in an interview.

Former Planning Secretary Romulo Neri had informed the President about the P200 million offer of then Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos in exchange for approving the $329-million NBN-ZTE broadband project.

But Neri, during a Senate probe, clammed up when asked about the response of President Arroyo and invoked executive privilege.

Cayetano said the probe, to be spearheaded by the committee on environment chaired by his sister Pia, will also look into the environmental laws violated by Hanjin in putting up their projects in Subic.

He said there was obviously a rush in implementing the Hanjin projects despite the lack of environmental permits and clearances.

Cayetano said the PNP Task Force Tagovill which investigated the alleged bribe attempt and the Korean Chamber of Commerce have confirmed attendance.

He, however, said that Tagoloan Mayor Paulino Emano and Villanueva Mayor Juliette Uy, who allegedly cried bribery by Hanjin, have declined the Senate invitations.

Emano last May 1 was caught on television saying he told the President about the P400 million bribe offer to him and Uy but Arroyo "ignored" him.

The two mayors last week backtracked and signed an affidavit that said no bribery-extortion took place.

Hanjin president Jeong Sup Chim has confirmed his attendance in today’s hearing.

Environment Secretary Jose Atienza, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority administrator Armand Arreza, PNP chief Avelino Razon, and Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno have yet to confirm their attendance.

Sen. Pia Cayetano has said she was outraged "that Hanjin offered such favor to the local official to allow them to continue construction even without first securing a municipal building permit and environmental compliance certificate (ECC), among others."

"These are basic requirements under the law, regardless of whether you’re a local or foreign investor," she said

Hanjin has gotten the ire of environmentalists for constructing two condominiums at the protected Subic forest reserve without an ECC. The construction began last January.

Hanjin applied for an ECC only last March. The SBMA granted the ECC last July. By then, Hanjin had already built eight floors of the first, a 22-story condominium, and four floors of the second, a 12-story structure.

Hanjin is planning to operate a $2 billion shipyard that would extend from Tagoloan to Villanueva in Misamis Oriental. Its training center alone would occupy eight hectares, while the planned shipyard would be on a 70-hectare property in Tagoloan and on a 400-hectare property in Villanueva.