Chinese embassy slams Madrigal

The Chinese embassy in Manila on Wednesday blasted opposition Sen. Jamby Madrigal for insinuating that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and its former envoy have conspired over the graft-ridden broadband deal. In a statement, the embassy denied that former Chinese ambassador Li Jinjun connived with Mr Arroyo for the approval of the contract with ZTE Corp, saying the senator was barking up the wrong tree. “What Senator Madrigal said doesn’t tally with the facts. Such remarks are extremely irresponsible," the embassy said. Madrigal on Tuesday claimed former Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri’s letter to the Chinese Embassy with a marginal note “copy for FGI/PIS." Madrigal said she believes “FG" stands for First Gentleman. As it turned out, “FG" actually are the initials of Florante G. Igtiben, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. The NEDA said: "To set the records straight, the complete phrase handwritten on the upper right hand corner of the letter that NEDA possesses is ‘copy for FGI/PIS.’ The initials 'FGI' stands for Florante G. Igtiben while the acronym PIS refers to the Public Investment Staff of NEDA. Mr Igtiben is the chief of the Asia Pacific Division of PIS, which handles all projects funded by China." Neri also denied furnishing a copy of his letter on the broadband deal to the presidential spouse and said he believes someone from the Chinese embassy wrote it. In her remarks before the Senate, Madrigal said: “Why is the (Chinese Embassy) communicating with or reporting to FG?" as she noted that the letter could also imply a “collusion between FG and a foreign nation’s ambassador" to work on the NBN project. Madrigal also suggested that Chinese embassy officials should be declared persona non grata if they would refuse to testify at the Senate. But a senior Foreign Affairs official cautioned that China could retaliate and file a diplomatic protest if it would pressure its staff to appear at the Senate investigation. The official explained the Senate cannot compel the Chinese Embassy to order its diplomats to speak on the botched deal because under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, diplomats are exempted from jurisdiction of the receiving state. Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments, which ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws. ZTE bribes amounting to millions of dollars were reportedly given to government officials, but the Chinese firm denied that it engaged in unlawful dealings with Manila. The government awarded the contract to ZTE to build a nationwide telecommunications network-broadband Internet services, video conferencing, landline, mobile phone calls, and e-mail requirements for all government agencies from the national to the local level. - GMANews.TV