14 Jul 2009 - by PreSalt.com - Source: Petrobras News
Petrobras’ president and CEO, José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo, sent a letter to the Company’s employees today (07/14) regarding the installation of the PIC by the Federal Senate. The letter reads as follows:
“I would like to inform all Petrobras System colleagues that the Parliamentary Investigation Commission was installed this Tuesday (07/14) afternoon at the Federal Senate to investigate the facts related to request No. 569, of 2009, regarding Petrobras and the NPA. Senator João Pedro (PT/AM) and senator Marcelo Crivella (PL/RJ) were named the Commission’s president and vice-president, respectively, while senator Romero Jucá (PMDB/RR) its rapporteur.
Immediately after the PIC was installed, even considering our legal obligations to respond to the invitations and summons, I made a point of making our willingness to fully cooperate with the investigations clear. Through this letter, I would like to announce that all of the directors and I are waiting for the hearings to be scheduled in order to provide all pertinent clarifications regarding the issues brought up by the PIC.
Our position is one of great serenity regarding the matters that appear in the petition for the constitution of the PIC. So far as each of such matters is concerned, the following is the summary of our position:
1. Regarding evidence of fraud in the bidding procedures for the renovation of oil exploration platforms, brought forward by a Federal Police (FP) operation called “Deep Waters,” we will show the appropriateness of the measures Petrobras adopted to deal with the accusations, its collaboration with the FP and with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FPO) for the filing of criminal accusations against all parties involved, and the adoption of internal measures that resulted in disciplinary actions, among which the termination of three employees for just cause.
2. About alleged irregularities in the revision of the value of the construction contracts for platforms P-52 and P-54, we will show that such a procedure was necessary in order to reestablish the contracts’ economic and financial balance, which had been affected by unforeseeable fluctuations in the exchange rate, the legality of which has already been determined by the Federal Court of Auditors (FCA) in previous decisions, which we mention;
3. With regard to alleged evidence of overbilling in the Pernambuco Refinery (Abreu e Lima) construction work, as identified by the Federal Court of Auditors (FCA), we will show that the price estimation parameter the court adopts is inconsistent on account of the job’s specificities and complexities. We will also show that the amount Petrobras contracted is appropriate, based on the best international standards.
4. Regarding alleged royalty use irregularities, we will clarify that Petrobras does not interfere in the way these resources are used in any manner whatsoever.
5. Insofar as the accusations of the use of accounting tricks which supposedly led to lower tax and contribution payments are concerned, we will show this did not occur and that all measures Petrobras adopted are perfectly aligned to the Brazilian tax law.
6. And, finally, regarding the alleged political benefits afforded to city halls and NGOs, we will show that the process used to projects for sponsorship and agreements is set-up based on objective, impersonal criteria aimed at the institutional reinforcement of Petrobras’ trademark and of its reputation among its several audiences, as certified by the FCA in a previous inspection carried out regarding the same issue.
As we all know, this is a delicate moment for the Company. Perhaps its biggest crisis. But Petrobras is bigger than the crisis. The PIC will pass, the Company will come out of it even stronger, and Petrobras will continue being a reason for pride, both for Brazil and for the Brazilian people.
José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo
President and CEO of Petrobras”
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