Summon Gadhafi in campaign donations probe, Ramos tells Senate

Moammar Gadhafi and former President Fidel Ramos. AP and INQUIRER file photos

MANILA, Philippines – Former President Fidel Ramos wants the Senate to summon Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi in connection with a WikiLeaks report that he had received campaign donations from Gadhafi during the 1992 presidential elections.

“If I may suggest respectfully, please also invite Colonel Moammar Gadhafi and Ambassador Burghart to the same Senate investigation desired by Senator [Miriam Defensor] Santiago,” Ramos said in a statement furnished to Senate reporters on Tuesday.

“Per his [Gadhafi] own media statement on worldwide media the other day, Gadhafi is still very much alive and may be available to shed light on this matter,” he said.

For his part, Ramos said he was willing to attend and participate in a Senate hearing being pushed by Santiago on the issue as he did two previous investigations by the Senate blue ribbon committee and one joint investigation of the congressional commission on energy.”

The former leader vehemently denied the allegation that he had received campaign donations from Gadhafi.

“Sen. Santiago’s wanting to put me behind bar is not new,” Ramos said.

“Some years ago, she publicly accused me of trying to assassinate her by bumping a military jeep into her vehicle, which is the reason – according to her – of her various chronic ailments,” he said.

Santiago ran and lost to Ramos in 1992.