The World Bank (WB) bashing at the Senate hearing held Thursday could have been orchestrated, a senator said Friday.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who left the hearing early, said he could not avoid thinking that the hearing of the Senate economic affairs committee, led by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, was orchestrated because of some obvious circumstances.

"Naka-hook up ang mga government stations na bihirang-bihirang mangyari lalo pa ang usapin ay nagsasangkot sa mga maimpluwensya na personalidad, may government officials at agencies... Eh bakit interesado ang mga government stations na mag-ere ng live? (Government stations were hooked up, which is unusual especially since the issue involves influential people in government... Why were the government stations suddenly interested in airing it live?)," Lacson told radio dzMM.

The senator also recalled the incident when Santiago got furious after the issue on the WB's discovery of collusive practices of three Filipino and four Chinese construction firms in the bidding for phase 1 of the National Road Improvement and Management Program, was referred to her committee.

"The hearing was [eventually] set, and it ended at noon and got terminated. She (Santiago)had filed an indefinite leave but when news about the WB report came up, she cancelled her indefinite leave. The hearing was set again yesterday," Lacson said.

He said he became highly suspicious when he found out that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who was mentioned in the WB report for his alleged involvement in the collusive practices, came up with a statement which "dovetailed" with the Senate hearing’s conclusion.

He said the statement was distributed to media minutes before the hearing was terminated by Santiago.

Orchestrated?

"So I cannot help but think that what happened yesterday was orchestrated," the senator said.

Lacson said the WB-bashing diverted the real purpose of the hearing, which is to focus on the contents of the more than 200-page Notice of Sanctions Proceedings (NOSP), which could be used by the Senate in drafting laws to help prevent more corruption.

Taking a cue from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Santiago announced that the committee will issue a subpoena to Bert Hofman, WB country director for the Philippines.

"Mr. Hofman must come here (to the Senate) or else we'll cite him for contempt," she said, warning that the Senate could jail Hofman until he cooperates.
The senators ordered Hofman to appear before its next hearing and asked the Foreign Affairs Department to protest what it called the Bank’s abuse of its confidentiality privileges.

Enrile, who had to sign the subpoena, added, “I take the responsibility of bringing that guy (Hofman) here.”

When asked by ABS-CBN News in an ambush interview if he will attend the senate hearing if subpoenaed, Hofman said, "It’s up to Washington to decide whether to allow me to attend the Senate hearing or not."

Lacson said he doubts Hofman will be allowed to attend the Senate hearing. He also said that the Philippine Senate might not have enough powers to cite the WB official for contempt and order him jailed.

Before the next hearing is scheduled, the senator said he will convince the majority during a caucus meeting on Monday to make the WB hearing a multi-committee hearing.

He said he is confident that other senators who are also after the truth will agree with him.

Lacson said the revelations in the WB report is “one big step” the country has to make to end corruption.

Be grateful to WB

Instead of bashing the WB, Lacson said the Philippine government and the senators should be grateful to the lending agency for informing Filipinos about the possible corruption by public officials.

The senator also scored Ombudsdman Merceditas Gutierrez for appearing helpless at the Senate hearing on Thursday due to the WB’s supposed non-cooperation with her office’s fact-finding efforts.

Lacson said Gutierrez, who received a referral report from the WB, should have not relied on the WB to give her office more details and evidence to investigate the bid-rigging.

Gutierrez on Thursday admitted that her office received two days ago a copy of the NOSP from the WB. She, however, did not bring the document to the hearing and instead complained about the “strictly confidential” referral report.

In her statement, the Ombudsman denied that her office sat on the WB report. She said their investigation could not push through because of the WB’s refusal to provide them the names of the possible witness in the bid-rigging.

"The report is full of restrictions, such as, but not limited to, that it should not be used by the government as a basis for initiating any administrative, criminal or civil proceedings. Moreover it [report] should not be cited or referred to in the course of any investigation. Its cover letter alone is marked 'strictly confidential'," she said.

In a statement released to the Philippine media, the World Bank said an internal document, the Referral Report—one of the several it has produced over the bid-rigging issue—was shared to the Philippine government so it could conduct its own investigation.

While the Bank initiated the investigation "to protect the funds entrusted to the Bank," it said the Philippine government has the discretion to investigate whether the country's own laws had been violated.