Philippine Political Zarzuela

A. Arroyo fights corruption charges

Filipino president Gloria Arroyo is once again using all her political armour to fight off the latest corruption allegations against her. But in this case the charges are coming from the man who was once her closest political ally.

Jose de Venecia has just been ousted as Speaker of the House of Representatives. It's said to be payback after his businessman son testified that Mrs Arroyo's husband received lucrative kickbacks from a state contract. Now the former speaker has his own serious charges to make against the woman he's spent much of his career protecting.

Read all - http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/s2157735.htm

B. Philippines' Arroyo Orders DoJ To Find Culprits In NBN Deal

The order comes amid revelations by former government consultant Rodolfo Lozada Jr. that the NBN contract awarded to China's ZTE Corp. was allegedly overpriced...

Meanwhile, a former political ally of President Arroyo on Thursday said he is prepared to expose widespread corruption within the administration.

Former House of Representatives speaker Jose de Venecia told foreign correspondents that Arroyo's husband, two sons and a brother-in-law bribed legislators using public money to oust him from the post he held for 13 years.
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080207%5cACQRTT200802070618RTTRADERUSEQUITY_0281.htm&