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| Southeast Asia |
| Gloria won't interfere in graft case |
| 2009-03-04 |
| PHILIPPINE President Gloria Arroyo will not interfere with an impeachment case filed against the nation's top graftbuster over a multi-million dollar corruption scandal, her office said Tuesday. 'The impeachment case against the ombudsman involves an internal process of Congress, which the palace cannot and will not interfere with,' deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo told reporters. Mrs Arroyo however remains 'optimistic' that legislators will 'handle this case with judiciousness, objectivity, fairness and reason,' she said. Mrs Arroyo's critics on Monday filed an impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, alleging she betrayed public trust by not prosecuting those involved in alleged corruption in a World Bank-funded road project. They accused Ms Gutierrez of protecting Arroyo's family, since one of those implicated in the corruption case is the president's husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo. The World Bank earlier blacklisted several Chinese and Philippine firms it said had colluded in the bidding for a US$33 million (S$51.14 million) road rehabilitation project. It sent a report to the Senate quoting witnesses who charged Jose Miguel Arroyo was among the political figures who supported the cartel in cornering lucrative deals. |
| Posted by:Fred |