By Fel V. Maragay and Joel E. Zurbano

WORLD Bank country director Bert Hofman yesterday offered to hold a technical briefing for the senators and afford them an insight into the bank?s investigation on the alleged rigging of bids for its road projects in the Philippines.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, chairman of the committee on economic affairs, said Hofman made the offer in a letter addressed to her. ?We have indicated to the authorities that we can, if they so invite, meet to provide further informal technical briefings and that we could welcome the presence of senators interested in such briefing,? Hofman wrote in his letter.

Santiago recommended to the Senate to stop the issuance of subpoena to the World Bank country director and instead invite him to an informal hearing.

Santiago advised the Senate to authorize the public release of all documents pertaining to the cases that have been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman. The World Bank has agreed to waive the confidentiality rule with respect to these documents.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called the senators to a closed-door caucus after the session late afternoon yesterday to decide on Santiago?s recommendations.

Hofman also informed Santiago that Leonard Frank McCarthy, vice president for the Institutional Integrity Office, has offered to meet with Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez if this would help in pursuing the probe.

The bank?s country director said the sole purpose of the investigation and sanction proceedings in any country is an administrative one aimed at protecting the funds entrusted to the bank.

?This administrative process clearly differs from the legal and legislative process that the countries? authorities may decide to pursue,? Hofman said.

At the same time, Santiago said the Senate should decide by consensus on whether the Rules on Evidence should be observed during the committee hearings on the case, which is good and will be even better if it leads to the prosecution of erring individuals.

?I am now attacked by the anti-Gloria forces and their PR firms, simply because I am trying to enforce the Rules of Evidence. Gee, I must be effective. The Tagalog saying is: ?People throw stones only at trees which bear fruits.? ?

Senator Panfilo Lacson clarified that he is not moving for the transfer of the probe of the case from Santiago?s committee to the Blue Ribbon committee, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon. But he said they should exert efforts to correct the perception that they are being soft on grafters.

Even as the Senate probe is leading nowhere, the Public Works Department said it will pursue its investigation into the alleged collusive practices of bidders for the World Bank-funded projects.

?If they are saying there is no evidence, practically we cannot contest that because that is also coming from them,? said Assistant Secretary Jaime Pacanan, head of the department?s five-member fact finding committee.

?But we will not terminate our probe. What we?re trying to look into is the participation of DPWH officials and personnel if ever because the reputation of the agency is at stake,? Pacanan said.

Pacanan said the department has also formed a team that will determine what institutional reforms are needed to improve the bidding system.

?We want to see if there are some lapses and if there are, then we will come up with a strong recommendation to the secretary so that the government will be protected, and if there were employees involved, we will also recommend administrative sanctions,? he said.