Villar: Arroyo 'admission' on ZTE, a case of 'I'm sorry part 2?'

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's admission that she knew something was wrong in the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal could turn out to be a continuation of her "I am Sorry" statement, according to Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. Villar on Sunday claimed Mrs Arroyo already tried a similar tactic in 2005, when she apologized for talking to then poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano during the canvassing of election returns in the 2004 elections, but insisted she did nothing wrong. He said Mrs Arroyo's admission could also be a case of playing "copycat" to NBN scandal whistleblower Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. "Iyan siguro ay para lumambot ang tingin sa kanya. Maaring minsan, kung ikaw hihingi ng patawad o aamin ng mistake, lumalamig ang ulo ng tao. Baka gamble 'yan o sugal, I don't know if the gamble will pay off (It may be a ploy to get the heat off her. She thinks that if she seeks public sympathy the people will forget her trespasses)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. Mrs Arroyo, in an interview on dzRH radio Saturday, said that she was told of irregularities in the NBN deal with ZTE Corp the night before the contract for the said project was signed on April 21, 2007 in Boao, China. She said she could not immediately call it off because it would put the Philippines and China in an embarrassing situation. Villar said Arroyo might be trying to take a cue from Lozada, who gained public sympathy when he admitted he was not a perfect individual. "Sinabi ni Lozada marami siyang ginawang pagkakamali ang tao kahit anong bato kay Lozada ayaw nang intindihin ... Baka gusto gayahin si Mr. Lozada (Lozada admitted he was involved in many irregularities before, that's why people believe him and no longer mind the criticisms that come his way. Arroyo may be trying to take a page out of that)," he said. He said Mrs Arroyo's sudden admission surprised everyone, even himself, as many administration officials took pains to make it appear that the deal was above board. "Ang tingin ko kanya-kanya na lamang kadahilanan ang ibinibigay para mapangalagaan ang kanya-kanyang position. (I think they each have their own excuses to protect each and everyone's position in the government)," said Villar. "Pinapangalagaan ng Presidente ang position niya, pinapangalagaan ng PNP position nila, pinapangalagaan ng DOTC ang position nila. Nagkakanya-kanya nang dahilan to the point na conflicting na ang statement na lao lang nagpapaduda sa ating kababayan (The President has her own version of what happened, and so do the Philippine National Police and the Department of Transportation and Communications. Their recollections of what happened had become such that they started conflicting each other and caused the public to doubt them)," Villar added. - GMANews.TV