Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and businessman Dennis Uy should reveal the “mystery shopper” instead of filing libel charges against members of the media for supposed unfair reporting over a graft complaint they’re facing over Uy’s controversial buyout of the Malampaya gas field.
Hontiveros said that while Cusi and Uy have filed libel charges against some members of the media, particularly Rappler, ABS-CBN, Business World, Philstar, Manila Bulletin, GMA News Online and Business Mirror and some individuals, both have become evasive at answering questions surrounding the controversial takeover of Udenna Corporation on the Malampaya gas project.
“Balikan natin ang mga tanong: Bakit nga ba hinayaan ng Department of Energy at ng Philippine National Oil Company na pakwayin ng Udenna ang mga shares ng Malampaya? Bakit hindi ginamit ng PNOC ang (Let’s go back to the question, why did the DOE and PNOC allowed Udenna to takeover the shares in Malampaya? Why didn’t the PNOC used its prerogative to exercise) right of first refusal? These are all valid questions that must be truthfully answered,” Hontiveros said in an online press briefing.
“Sec. Cusi, ito lang naman po: Ibinebenta na ba natin ang Pilipinas sa Tsina? Por kilo na ba ang bentahan ng ating mga strategic assets (what we want to know: are we selling the Philippines to China? Are we selling our strategic assets per kilo)?” she asked.
Hontiveros pointed out the government’s recent moves has been suspicius, from the rollout of Dito Telecoms, the third telecommunications network in the country, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) deal with F2 Logistics, which has ties to Uy, President Duterte’s campaign donor in the May 2016 polls, and now on the Malampaya and Recto Bank where the DOE granted Uy’s Udenna with service contracts.
“Ang gusto natin, syempre, masang Pilipino ang makikinabang sa kita ng mga resources na iyan. Pero may midnight sale yata ng likas yaman at iba pang serbisyo bago mag 2022, na hindi natin alam. Sino kaya si mystery shopper (We want to know of course, if the Filipino people would benefit from these resources. But it seems there is a midnight sale of our natural resources and other public utilities before 2022, which we do not know of. Who is this mystery shopper)?” the lawmaker asked.
Hontiveros, at the same time, reiterated her call for the Senate to launch its own probe into the propriety of allowing Udenna, a single private entity, to control almost all of the country’s fossil energy assets.
“Dahil kung may anomalya dito, magmumukhang barya lang yung P11.5-billion na transaksyon ng Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. (Because if there is indeed an anomalyhere, the P11.5-billion transaction involved with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. will pale in comparison),” the senator said.
Last Nov. 18, Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution No. 950 urging the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to look into the Udenna’s takeove of the assets in the West Philippine Sea and assess its impact on the country’s national security and economic interests.
“Bawiin na sana itong ang libel case laban sa media, at tulungan na lang ang Senado sa imbestigasyon ng issue na ito (I hope they withdraw the libel cases against the media and just help the Senate in investigating this issue). Secretary Cusi should stop devoting so much energy going after people who are only looking for the truth,” she pointed out.
“Naninindigan ako: Huwag natin payagan ang sinuman na ibenta ang Pilipinas at ang yaman nito, sa China man o sa iba pang dayuhan (I repeat: Let’s not allow anyone to sell the Philippines and its natural resources to China or any other foreign entity),” she reiterated.