List of 118 MPs does not exist in bond report: Speaker

Friday, 8 June 2018 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Asserts that all responsible authorities have informed him that no such list exists in the bond report
Says IGP had informed him that reports and claims of 25 security personnel of MPs being questioned were false
Says complete bond report will be tabled in Parliament once Secretary to President returns to the island

By Skandha Gunasekara

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament yesterday that he had been informed by all responsible officials that a list of 118 MPs, who had allegedly received money from Arjun Aloysius or Perpetual Treasuries Ltd, is not in the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Central Bank bond scam.

The Speaker made this assertion in Parliament yesterday at the commencement of sittings.

“All relevant authorities have informed me that such a list does not exist in the Bond Commission Report. The Police too informed me that rumours alleging that 25 security officers of several parliamentarians had been questioned regarding encashingcheques received from Aloysius were also false.”

In addition, the Speaker said that he hoped to have the entire PCol report tabled in Parliament once the Secretary to the President, Austin Fernando, returned from abroad.

“The Secretary is not in the country at this moment. I hope he will act according to my request once he returns. I also sought the support of both the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police in this matter. Therefore, the complete report will be presented to Parliament in the near future.”

The Speaker, pointing out that fabricated claims regarding a sterilisation pill in Amapara had caused chaos in the country, warned that similar unrest was being stirred due to baseless allegations pertaining to 118 parliamentarians receiving money from Aloysius.

“As a result of the baseless and false statements made by some people of an alleged list, a situation of unrest is being created among the masses. The goodwill of this Parliament and parliamentarians has been damaged. This is a very unfortunate situation so everyone has a responsibility of not adding fuel to the fire. I request everyone not to make statements on this matter without evidence,” the Speaker cautioned.

Furthermore, the Speaker rejected a request made by UPFA MP Padma Udayashantha Gunasekara to obtain affidavits from all parliamentarians stating that they had not taken money from Aloysius or Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. and its subsidiaries.

Meanwhile, Chief Opposition Whip and leader of the JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake called on the Speaker to summon the Secretary to the President to Parliament to be questioned as to why there was a delay in submitting the complete bond report to Parliament.

“You stated that you received bond report documents C-350 through C-360. We request that you obtain the remainder of the documents from C-1 to C-349 and summon the Secretary to the President so that we may question him on the bond report,” the Chief Opposition Whip said.