Barbers' sons protest dragging of father's name into WB mess

(Updated 2 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - The sons of deceased former senator Robert Barbers are preparing to file charges against those who implicated their father in the alleged collusion between construction firms blacklisted by the World Bank, a radio report said Friday. Radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad quoted the late senator's sons, former Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Robert Dean Barbers, and Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Ace Barbers, as saying that dragging of their father's name into the mess was "unethical." Although the report did name the persons who will be sued by the Barbers borthers, it quoted the former PTA official as saying that they are dismayed with Sen. Panfilo Lacson's claim that the late senator was linked to the construction firms accused of collusive practices. The former PTA official pointed out that Lacson is the chair of the Senate committee on ethics as well as a former colleague of the late former senator. Robert Dean added that his father was full of integrity and was a genuine public servant. Before going into politics, Robert Barbers had quite a colorful career as a police officer, capped by his participation in the elimination of several notorious drug traffickers when he was detailed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) under retired police general Alfredo Lim. Barbers went on to become a member of the House of Representatives while Lim became mayor of Manila. They also both served as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government at different times and held seats in the Senate. Earlier, Lacson said excerpts of the World Bank report on the sanctioned firms implicated several political personalities in the controversy, including the late senator Barbers, former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, former Negros Oriental Rep. Jerome Paras, and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. - GMANews.TV