Holiday ba?

IF you were one of the thousands watching the second day hearing of the Senate investigation into the national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE deal on TV yesterday, you would have probably been surprised with all the pala that Transportation Secretary Leonard Mendoza brought along. Imagine almost the entire Cabinet in attendance including the top gun Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita! Government holiday ba? OA nyo! Even Sen. MAR Roxas was surprised at his former colleagues' presence. What's so important about the deal that the entire government yesterday screeched to a halt?! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Anyway, I texted my favorite government official yesterday to tell him that apparently he was the only one working among his colleagues yesterday. Sarcastically, he answered, "Bakit kaya?" Hmmm...

But TV or not, it was mighty obvious who among the government officials present were lying through their teeth. Almost everyone there committing perjury. Bilib na sana ako ke Asec. Lorenzo Formoso because he really knew his IT stuff. Then he blinked. And made pa-cute about going to Wack-Wack only for weddings and socials. He said it twice, thrice. Too rehearsed my friend. T'was too obvious. Take a cue from the Superstar Ate Guy...play it down. Underact. Next time you might be believable.

Teves confirms Abalos involvement in ZTE deal. (Photo from PDIC)

The only credible Cabinet Secretary up there was Finance Secretary Gary Teves. I have only utmost respect for this man, and I hope this is not misplaced. But at least he did confirm that Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos did bring the ZTE officials to his home. E bakit? What's Abalos' business facilitating meetings like that? And then again at Wack-Wack, over dinner with Sec. Mendoza. This was a very important item that today's newspapers overlooked. Even if Abalos says, he just made introductions, it's still inappropriate behavior since the businessmen were proposing a project. It was confirmation that Abalos was involved in the deal from the start. E kung hindi nga ba talaga... Ang tawag d'yan walang finesse. Amateur! Hay naku!

Well, I hope former Neda Sec. Gen. Romy Neri takes the stand next week. He is the only other Cabinet official who was closest to the ZTE issue as his Neda staff was the one which evaluated the NBN project and the proposed ZTE deal. And I've covered Neda. Its staff are one of the best in government. Poorly paid but highly efficient. Guys whose hearts are in the right place. So very objective. I can't vouch though for Neri's credibility. Actually, after Dante Canlas, I think the subsequent Neda Sec. Gens pale in comparison to the previous people who've held that post. Well, poor Romy Neri had the runs...but hasn't he heard of Lomotil? Or apple juice! Ano ba?!

Anyway, as for Luli Arroyo's outburst re: JDV III, pagbigyan nyo na. It's but natural she's protecting her father. Daddy's girl 'yan, anu? Even JDV III is doing the same for his father, Speaker de Venecia. And between us girls, both their dads aren't exactly the paragons of virtue we would all like to emulate right? But family is family and you just have to stick together and overlook certain unpleasant behavior among your relatives. Besides...ang mana! hellow?!