SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, September 28, 2007
HINDI na interesado si Joey de Venecia, anak ni Speaker Jose de Venecia, sa national broadband network. Ni hindi binasa ng DOTC ang offer ng kanyang Amsterdam Holdings Inc. nu’ng Dis. 2006. Kinilingan kasi ng DOTC si Comelec chief Ben Abalos na nagmanok umano sa ZTE Corp. Ngayong nailantad na ni Joey ang pambabraso pati ni presidential spouse Mike Arroyo, kuntento na siyang mababasura ang kontrata.
Pero binabaliktad ngayon ng mga in-expose ni Joey ang sitwasyon. Siya pa ngayon ang pinakakasuhan nang paglabag sa Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Inuulit-ulit ng mga kalaban niya ulit ang Section 5:
“Prohibition on Certain Relatives. — It shall be unlawful for the spouse or for any relative, by consanguinity or affinity, within the third civil degree of the President of the Philippines, the Vice President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to intervene, directly or indirectly, in any business, transaction, contract or application with the Government.”
Aba’y kung ganyan ang probisyon ng batas, sabit talaga si Joey.
Pero may karugtong ‘yan, na hindi sinasabi ng mga kalaban niya:
“Provided, That this section shall not apply to any person who, prior to the assumption of office of any of the above officials to whom he is related, has been already dealing with the Government along the same line of business, nor to any transaction, contract or application already existing or pending at the time of such assumption of public office, nor to any application filed by him the approval of which is not discretionary on the part of the official or officials concerned but depends upon compliance with requisites provided by law, or rules or regulations issued pursuant to law, nor to any act lawfully performed in an official capacity or in the exercise of a profession.”
