Journalist threatened over ZTE report
CMFR/Philippines—A columnist who wrote a blind item about a high-ranking election official involved in an anomalous deal regarding the installation of broadband networks in the country claims that he received death threats on 20 September 2007.Jarius Bondoc, a columnist for the Manila daily The Philippine Star, said he received the death threat after the Senate hearing on the $329 million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal between the government and China's ZTE Corp ended in the evening of 20 September 2007, abs-cbnnews Interactive reported.
The message, which Bondoc received vias SMS at 10:12 pm, read, "Ybang m kc. Wag na u magtngal ng pamburol mng kana. Musta mga bta? Si esmi? Sbog stasyon nyo! Boom. Hahaha. (You are arrogant. Don't bother taking off your suit. How are the kids? Your wife? Your station will explode! Boom. Hahaha)." Bondoc immediately reported the threat to the police.
Bondoc first wrote in his column in August that a certain high-ranking member of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the body tasked with administering elections in the country, had gone to China during the election season to broker the deal with ZTE in exchange for cash and the favors of prostitutes. Subsequent reports identified Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos as the official Bondoc was referring to. Abalos has denied the allegations.
Bondoc has been monitoring developments in the NBN deal. He has criticized the alleged theft of the contract in China right after it was signed. He also discussed the background of the ZTE Corp, revealing in his column previous transactions of the company in Ecuador, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Mexico that were also anomalous. Other government officials including cabinet officials and the presidential spouse have been implicated in the controversy. A Senate investigation is currently being held regarding the matter, which has become a major government scandal. #
posted by rek @ 7:53 AM
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