Bro. Mike wants to acquire RPN-9

El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde is in talks with officials of the government-sequestered station RPN-9 to explore the possibility of forging a five-year management contract worth P500 million, officials said yesterday.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) said Velarde’s Delta Broadcasting Co. is one of the groups that verbally and unofficially expressed interest in the cash-strapped television station.

"They haven’t written and proposed anything. It’s all verbal," PCGG Commissioner Vyva Victoria Aguirre said.

Aguirre told The STAR they are aware of the talks between Velarde’s group and the RPN-9 management.

However, she said Velarde has yet to make a direct offer to the PCGG, which handles all assets sequestered by the government.

PCGG Chairwoman Haydee Yorac, for her part, said they will thoroughly study any offer for the financially troubled RPN-9 since "people who want to take advantage of the situation are beginning to move and trying to get the company for a song."

"We will not allow that," she said. "There have been a few who have expressed interest. Some proposals are outright bad."

RPN-9 insiders said Velarde’s group wants to enter into a P500-million management contract wherein they will manage the station for five years.

Late last year, Malacañang belied accusations made by opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara that the Arroyo administration is rushing the sale of certain government properties so it could raise funds for the coming presidential polls.

Angara said the government entered into "midnight deals" to sell off the facilities of the National Power Corporation, buildings in Japan and the United States that are being used by Philippine diplomatic missions.

He added the government is also trying to sell off its 10 percent share in the Manila Electric Co., a 90 percent share in the Philippine National Construction Corp., a piece of property owned by Food Terminal Inc., a Makati property on which the International School is built, its shares in the Philippine Postal Corp., and assets and equity in RPN-9 and IBC-13.

But Presidential Deputy Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the Arroyo administration has shown that the sale of government properties is being undertaken for the benefit of the Filipino people.

He pointed out that "imputing political motives to bonafide privatization efforts are not helpful in building confidence in the country and economy."

He said proceeds from the sale of the Napocor facilities will be used to fund specific anti-poverty programs of the government, not bankroll the administration candidates’ election campaign.

Despite President Arroyo’s attempts to get the support of the 10-million strong El Shaddai group, Velarde has said he does not see "any candidate we could support" in the May elections.

Velarde also said he has not found anyone in the present roster of choices who would fit his requirements for a good president.

For him, the ideal presidential candidate is one who can unite the country and is competent in handling crises. Intelligence is not a high-priority presidential quality, Velarde added.

But the El Shaddai will "decide at the last hour" who of those vying for the presidency it will support, Velarde said. "This time, we will really look into the issues."

The Commission on Elections estimated that the potential number of voters come May will be 38 million, making an El Shaddai vote crucial if the religious group will vote as one.