GMA invited me to play golf in Shenzhen JDV

MANILA, Philippines – Former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. confirmed yesterday he played golf in Shenzhen, China upon the invitation of President Arroyo.

Speaking to reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his return from Moscow via Bangkok, De Venecia said he will testify at the Senate or “at the proper forum” as part of the search for truth.

“We are still searching for truth and whatever contribution I can make I would definitely consider it,” he said.

“Yes, I confirm that I was there in Shenzhen playing golf with the President because she invited me.”

De Venecia was in Moscow to attend the Asian Integrated Energy Market Forum organized by the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.

During the assembly in Moscow, he endorsed a plan to set up an Asian gas market, he added.

De Venecia said the integrated Asian gas market and its mechanism would be different from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which has benefited oil producers more than consumers.

“We have brought (together) West Asia where gas producers (are) and East Asia which is the major consumers – Philippines, China, Korea. So that mechanism for creating and implementing the Asian gas market should benefit both producers and consumers.”

De Venecia said there should be a cap on the prices of fuel, diesel and crude oil “because the price of crude oil reached the dangerous levels and limits.”

“More than one hundred nations that have heavily indebted and very weak dollar reserves can no longer afford the price of crude oil.”

De Venecia said he asked the Asian Parliamentary Assembly to consider putting a cap on the price of oil and to convince the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, major oil producers that are not OPEC members, to create a major agriculture and food production and rice production fund to solve the problem of hunger and poverty in the world.

“So those are my proposals in the Asian conference in a Moscow meeting of Asian Parliamentary Assembly... hosted by the Russian Duma which is the Russian parliament, as part of massive rice production,” he said.