RDX is Ayala's 'smoking gun' in Glorietta blast

BY DENNIS GADIL

AYALA Land Inc. (ALI), operator of Glorietta Mall, said it is keeping the RDX material found at the explosion site at Glorietta 2 as their "smoking gun" to prove that the October 19 blast that killed 11 people and injured hundreds of mall goers was caused by a bomb.

RDX is a chemical component used in making C-4 bombs, which could only be normally accessed by the military.

Jaime Ayala, ALI president, stood pat on their assertion that it was a bomb that destroyed the mall while the police stuck to their assessment that it was an accumulation of methane gas that triggered the explosion.

Ayala said they are not capitulating to the police findings just to end the controversy surrounding the blast. He said it was important for ALI to out its own findings for the sake of "public safety."

Senators and the police conducted a joint ocular inspection of the blast site yesterday. Senators said they will consult their own explosives experts but would rather focus on legislative interventions like amending, repealing or upgrading the Building Code, the Fire Code, the Human Security Act and the rules on disaster preparedness.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chair of the public order panel, said at least two more technical working group meetings would be held to consolidate the conflicting findings of the PNP and ALI.

Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman of the Southern Police District insisted that all evidence - scientific, physical, forensic, and documentary - point to a methane-gas explosion followed by a diesel-vapor-gas blast.

But biogas expert from the United Kingdom Dr. Stephen Etheridge maintained that biogas accumulation could not have caused the explosion, and forensics expert from Malaysia Aini Ling said traces of the explosive RDX were found at the explosion site.

Ticman said if RDX had really caused the explosion, traces of the explosive would be found everywhere, not in selected areas.

Mikey: Spare my father

REP. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo yesterday appealed to administration critics to spare his father Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, who he said "has been having a spate of high blood pressure probably because of anxiety."

The Pampanga congressman, in an interview in Malacañang, said the "anxiety" could be related to allegations by witnesses in the Senate's ZTE inquiry linking his father to irregularities.

"If they think they have anything on my father, let's go to the Ombudsman because there, the allegations will be governed by the rules of evidence and not on theatrics," he said.

Juris Soliman, the presidential spouse's chief of staff, said she has no personal knowledge of Mr. Arroyo experiencing high blood pressure.

She said that Mr. Arroyo was recently at St. Luke's Medical Center for regular rehabilitation treatment.

The First Gentleman is getting therapy twice a week at St. Luke's since his heart surgery in April 2007.

Soliman also denied that Mr. Arroyo was rushed to the hospital due to his "serious" condition.

She said the First Gentleman was at the LTA building in Makati City last Wednesday to check on the scheduled activities of the First Gentleman Foundation. "He's okay," she said.

Rep. Arroyo lamented the allegations of former ZTE consultant Dante Madriaga Tuesday in the Senate that the First Couple were part of a group of "greedy" people that benefited from the ZTE deal.

He said Madriaga's testimony against the First Couple is part of destabilization efforts against the government.

Donald Dee, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries, recommended that Madriaga be subjected to a credibility or psychological check.

"Mahirap iyung nagtututuro tapos sasabihin iyan lang ang alam ko, iyan ang sinabi sa akin. Hindi man lang inisip na nakakasira siya ng reputasyon at ginugulo niya ang buong lipunan," he said.

FIRST COUPLE'S AGENTS

Madriaga told the technical working group of the Blue Ribbon committee that Michael Defensor, a former presidential chief of staff, was one of the agents of the First Couple who saw to it that their "commission would be protected."

"He (Defensor) said he was there representing the interests of the First Couple," Madriaga said.

The technical working group is checking Madriaga's background and cross-checking his testimony.

Madriaga recalled that Defensor was with them at a June 2006 meeting in Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong.

He said Defensor dropped out from the negotiations in October 2007.

Madriaga said aside from Defensor, Ruben Reyes also represented the interest of the First Couple. Reyes is close to presidential brother Diosdado "Buboy" Macapagal Jr.

He said the presidential spouse made his presence felt on the project after he learned from Leo San Miguel that $1 million in advances were made possible after Mike Arroyo vowed to help in facilitating the project.

San Miguel, according to Madriaga, recruited him as consultant to ZTE officials.

Madriaga said Jimmy Paz was there to help guard Abalos' commission.

Retired Gen. Quirino "Torch" dela Torre, a former military comptroller, was brought in by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes when he was then interior and local government secretary to help in fund sourcing and lobbying.

BLOATED BY $140M

Madriaga said the NBN contract was bloated by $140 million and would be divided between the "greedy group plus plus" and the Chinese contractors.

He said this greedy group involved Abalos, San Miguel, Paz and Dela Torre.

Madriaga said the $70 million will go to the group of Abalos and the other half represented the supposed commission of the Chinese ZTE group.

"Tig-$70 million sila dun sa patong na $140 million," Madriaga said.

He said Abalos was to act as the "trustee" of the $70 million, which he would distribute among his group and the First Couple.

He said the $140 million padding in the NBN-ZTE contract was outside the supposed $41 million advances by the Abalos group from ZTE Corp.

He said for every advance made, half went to the First Couple.

Senate President Manuel Villar said Madriaga would be provided a safe place at the Senate.

Villar also instructed the Senate tri-committee probing the ZTE deal and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to make security arrangements for Madriaga and his family. - BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR with Dennis Gadil

Senators weighing Madriaga testimony

SENATORS are taking with caution the testimony last Tuesday of ZTE technical consultant Dante Madriaga that President Arroyo and her husband Mike received "advances" from China’s ZTE Corp for the national broadband project.

Senate President Manuel Villar said they are double checking Madriaga’s testimony amid fears that he could be a "red herring."

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Madriaga’s statements would have to be corroborated by other evidence and testimonies.

"Karamihan ng kanyang tinestify kahapon wala naman siyang talagang personal knowledge kasi ni-relay lang sa kanya ni Leo San Miguel, kaya napaka-importanteng testigo si Leo San Miguel," Lacson said.

Lacson said efforts are being exerted to bring San Miguel, a member of the group of former elections chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. to possibly corroborate the testimony of Madriaga.

Lacson nevertheless said some of Madriaga’s statements coincided with the testimonies of Lozada and De Venecia.

"Pero maraming nai-reveal dun na nakakagulat at tumatama naman dun sa mga circumstances," Lacson said.

Sen. Mar Roxas III said the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) should be alerted on the big amount of money that allegedly changed hands among the "greedy groups" related to the NBN-ZTE contract.

Madriaga testified Tuesday that the First Couple and Abalos’ group got around $41 million in advances from the ZTE, which came in three tranches.

He said Abalos’ group is comprised of Leo San Miguel, Ruben Reyes, retired Gen. Quirino dela Torre and Jimmy Paz. Madriaga said San Miguel, a former owner of Home Cable, was his immediate superior in the NBN-ZTE project.

Roxas said the senators appreciate the testimony of Madriaga but they need documentary evidence to build a stronger case.

Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said Madriaga must still be put to strict scrutiny since he may just be part of a scheme to undermine the integrity of the Senate proceedings.

"The Senate should not let its guard down, we cannot discount the possibility that efforts are underway to undermine the credibility of the proceedings with unreliable witnesses and testimonies," he said.

Pangilinan said that without corroborative testimonies, Madriaga’s allegations remain as "mere hearsay."

He said the testimonies of the other witnesses, such Lozada, de Venecia and Romulo Neri, are already enough to establish that criminal acts had been committed in the ZTE-NBN deal.

UNTRUTHS

Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza branded the testimony of Madriaga as hearsay, full of speculations and even a part of his imagination.

Mendoza said there were a lot of "untruths" citing as example Madriaga’s claim that the supposed contract was not really missing.

He said this is contrary to a report of the NBI and a pending case with the Ombudsman that stemmed from the missing documents.

He belied Madriaga’s cost estimate of NBN project which he said was probably made at the time when the project was still being studied at the level of the Commission on Information and Communications and Technology.

He reiterated that the whole NBN project was estimated to cost $329 million to cover the entire country including the sixth class municipalities as against the initial offer of $262 million for only 30 percent of the what government initially required.

‘TULALA’

Trade Secretary Peter Favila challenged Madriaga to appear before a community of bishops and testify about the events surrounding the broadband deal.

Favila denied that President Arroyo was raring to make the trip to Hainan and Boao in China in April 21, 2007 for the Boao Forum despite the precarious condition of the First Gentleman following a heart bypass on April 9.

He said the President was there to represent the country in the Boao Forum which is the Asian counterpart of the World Economic Forum that is annually held in Davos, and at that time co-chaired by former president Fidel Ramos.

He described the President as already "tulala" after attending the Boao Forum as they prepared to return to Manila.

"I can tell you that at that point in time I could see the President, her mind was really, I don’t know how to best describe it, parang tulala, tulala ba iyun sa tagalog?" he said.

TALL TALES

Ruy Rondain, counsel of the First Gentleman, said the testimony of Madriaga proved he "has no credibility as a witness" and his allegations against the First Couple are "all lies".

Rondain said the testimony also betrays the "hidden hands behind this ill-motivated witch-hunt intended to discredit the administration while camouflaged as a Senate investigation in aid of legislation".

"This is the same Madriaga who late last year had been reported to be peddling his testimony for P5 to P10 million." – Dennis Gadil and Jocelyn Montemayor

Gaite: P500T came from family fund

BY DENNIS GADIL

DEPUTY Executive Secretary Manny Gaite yesterday said the half a million pesos that he gave to ZTE star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada while the latter was in Hong Kong was part of a P1.5-million "family fund" for the renovation of their house.

Of the amount, P500,000 was borrowed from his uncle in Ligao, Albay, putting up as collateral the real estate he inherited from his father.

Gaite said the rest of the amount, around P1 million, was pooled by his sisters-in-law. The money was to be used to renovate the house of his parents in-law in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, where his family is also staying.

Gaite, in his initial appearance at the Senate hearing, said the money came from his pocket.

He said he handed the money to Lozada’s brother, Owe, on Feb. 3, 2008 in a restaurant in Mandaluyong after receiving a text message from Lozada that he was "feeling the cold, no winter clothes and running out cash."

"I pitied him," he said.

He said he received the text message around 1:30 a.m. of February 3 and only decided to volunteer the amount shortly after 1:30 p.m. of the same day.

Gaite said it was his personal decision to give the money to Lozada whom he said he had met only twice, and that he never told Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Secretary Romulo Neri about it.

But he said he informed Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. of his action.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano expressed disbelief over Gaite’s testimony. "Parang fairy tale ‘yung sinasabi nyo sa akin," he told Gaite.

Sen. Manuel Roxas III was also unconvinced that Gaite was playing the role of a Good Samaritan.

Senate President Manuel Villar said Gaite will have a hard time convincing the Senate tri-committee that he was telling the truth.

Lozada confirmed he sought the help of Gaite but said this was after he was instructed by Atienza and Romulo Neri to course his request through the deputy executive secretary.

"I was told that I should also send the text to Manny Gaite. Secretary Atienza told me that Manny will take care of it," he said.

Lozada also said he informed Gaite that he was in Hong Kong as he has told his other friends.

"I was very clear to all my government friends na nasa Hong Kong ako," Lozada said.

Gaite had said he thought Lozada was in London to attend a conference. He left the day after the Senate had ordered his arrest for not attending a hearing.

Lozada said he did not consider the P500,000 as bribe but was certain it came from Malacañang and not from Gaite’s personal funds.

"My opinion, my impression is bigay ‘yun ng Malacañang," Lozada said in response to the query of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada and Sen. Jamby Madrigal also asked Gaite to furnish the committee his Statement of Asset and Liabilities.

Lozada refused to say if Gaite was telling the truth.

"I’m here as a resource person not as a judge," he said on a query of Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.

TEXT MESSAGES

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said the exchange of text messages between Lozada and Gaite should be summoned from the service providers Smart and Globe, which was carried as a motion by the Senate joint committee.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson expressed reservations on the motion as he cited the security implication of authorizing Globe and Smart to retrieve text messages of their subscribers.

Lozada said his text messages from February 5 to 6 vanished and later resurfaced on his cell phone February 7.

He hinted that his mobile phone could have been hacked.

Lozada also said all electronically stored data are not 100 percent secured.

RELIGIOUS ROOTS

Before Gaite was called to the stand, Sen. Joker Arroyo, who is also from Ligao, Albay, praised him for having come from a very religious family with a priest as a brother and a nun as sister.

Arroyo also said Gaite worked with him when he was executive secretary to President Corazon Aquino.

Gaite also served under Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada as assistant secretary in the Presidential Management Staff and executive director of the Presidential Commission on Flagship Projects under Robert Aventajado.

‘GMA, Mike part of greedy group’

Ex-ZTE consultant says $41M given as ‘commission’

BY DENNIS GADIL

FORMER ZTE consultant Dante Madriaga yesterday told Senate probers that the President Arroyo, her husband Mike and the group of Benjamin Abalos Sr., which he referred to as the "greedy group plus, plus," have received some $41 million in advances from China’s ZTE Corp. on the anomalous national broadband network contract.

Asked by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada who among them was the greediest, Madriaga said "it would be the First Couple."

"From the beginning alam ko naman na involved sila, dahil sinabi sa akin yon," he said.

Madriaga said he was hired by the ZTE Corp., which had been awarded the contract, as chief designer-consultant on the persuasion of Leo San Miguel, a member of Abalos’ group, in May 2006. But while he was ZTE’s consultant, Madriaga said his immediate boss was San Miguel.

He said San Miguel is the godfather to one of his seven children and was even close to former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr.

Madriaga said he was forced to come out to deny that he was asking money in exchange for his testimony.

He said it was a certain Archie Antonio, a public works contractor, who was brokering for his appearance in the Senate and that he was not aware of the people approached. He said he did not approve of the activities of Antonio.

Madriaga said the group of Abalos initially received $1 million from the ZTE in August 2006 as "representation" fund.

He said Abalos’ group was represented by Ruben Reyes, the so-called bagman of the former elections chairman.

He said San Miguel was aware that the money was coursed through wire transfer.

He said Jimmy Paz, another friend of Abalos, and a retired Gen. Quirino dela Torre was also part of the "greedy group."

He said the group of Abalos was doing their transactions through a bank in Hong Kong.

Madriaga said he learned from the group of Abalos that the $1 million advance was made possible when the First Gentleman came into the picture and vowed full support for the project.

He said the national broadband network project was initially rejected by DOTC assistant secretary Frank Perez, son of former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, but it became smooth sailing when Perez was replaced by Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso.

He said the second tranche came in March 2007 in the amount of $10 million, split between the First Couple and the group of Abalos.

Madriaga said he was also made aware from then on that advances extended by ZTE were shared by the First Couple and the group of Abalos.

He said the group of Abalos also demanded another $5 million from ZTE, which would be used to pacify Jose de Venecia III and convince him to back out from the project.

But Madriaga said the $5 million advance was not granted after De Venecia walked out during a meeting with ZTE officials in Shenzen, China.

De Venecia said he was not aware of the $5 million that was to be offered to him but confirmed walking out during a meeting with ZTE officials in China after learning of the $130 million commission being demanded by Abalos.

Madriaga said the last tranche of $30 million was advanced by ZTE in April 2007 purportedly to finance the campaign of the administration ticket.

But Madriaga said ZTE officials represented by Fan Yang, China’s commercial attaché to the Philippines, insisted that President Arroyo personally witness the contract signing of supply agreement in Boao, China before any further advances could be released.

"Fan Yang confirmed that (to me). Because galit na galit na sila. They said if nothing comes out of it (NBN-ZTE deal), they will be fired," he said.

He said this was the sole reason the President went to China and this was "in aid of elections."

Madriaga said the advances made the contract price balloon from the original $130 million to $189 million to $269 million and finally, $329 million.

He said at the price of $269 million, the contract was already overpriced by $140 million with $70 million each going to the First Couple and the group of Abalos.

He said the contract firmed up at $329 million after the proponents decided for 100 percent coverage.

FULLY AWARE

Madriaga insisted that he believed that President was fully aware of the anomalies in the contract early on.

"She knew about the overprice as far as back as July (2006)," he said.

He said this could be confirmed by DOTC undersecretary Ramon Sales whose office initially rejected the project for using satellite technology.

NOT MISSING

Madriaga also said that the copies of the contract that were signed in China were never missing, as earlier reported.

He said Formoso was told by San Miguel to just say that it was missing after concerned groups and businessmen attending a forum in Ateneo were asking for copies.

"When everybody was caving in, Leo San Miguel told Asec Formoso to just say na nawala ang kontrata," he said.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano tried to squeeze from Madriaga his motivation to testify.

Madriaga said one of his turning points was when Lozada was reported abducted after arriving at the airport last Feb. 5, 2008.

He said he was also forced to come out after Malaya columnist Ellen Tordesillas printed his supposed first-hand account, which was in the form of a letter, on the NBN-ZTE contract.

MADRIAGA FILES

He said the "Madriaga Files" were taken from the website of Upsilon Sigma Phi, a UP fraternity, of which Sen. Richard Gordon is a member.

Gordon grilled Madriaga after he failed to satisfy the senator’s query on why his letter landed in the Upsilon website. The letter detailed Madriaga’s knowledge of the anomalies that have attended the contract.

Madriaga further got himself in trouble after saying that the letter that saw print in Tordesillas’ column was different from the original letter. On the query of Gordon, Madriaga later withdrew his statement.

Madriaga also admitted feeding information to columnist Jarius Bondoc to prove that he was not asking for money. Bondoc confirmed this.

Madriaga nevertheless assured skeptical senators that he won’t recant his testimony. "One-hundred-one percent dito ako."

He nevertheless said he was afraid for his life

LACKS WALLOP

Senate majority leader Francis Pangilinan told Madriaga to sit down with the legal team of the Senate tri-committee to get his sworn affidavit.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said the allegation of Madriaga that ZTE, a foreign company, gave money to bankroll the administration’s ticket last elections should also be looked into for possible violations against the participation of foreigners in elections.

Cayetano said so far Madriaga was able to corroborate some of the testimonies of Lozada.

He nevertheless said the Senate tri-committee is taking a cautious stance, because it took Madriaga some time before deciding to testify.

Sen. Francis Escudero said Madriaga’s testimony still lacks the wallop, similar to the impact created by the coming out of Lozada.

PURE ALLEGATIONS

Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez dismissed Madriaga’s testimonies as pure allegations.

Golez noted Madriaga’s mention of the First Gentleman’s supposed meeting with Abalos, ZTE officials, and Joey de Venecia that supposedly occurred in December 2006.

"Madriaga said that the meeting with FG when he said "back off" took place last December 4 or 5, 2006. That was the time when FG was confined in the hospital. This destroys the credibility of Madriaga instantaneously," he said.

The First Gentleman had an angioplasty on Dec. 3, 2006. He was discharged Dec. 6.

"The new statement of another so-called witness is no different from the allegations of Mr. (Rodolfo) Lozada. These allegations by ‘installment’ unless proven through the processes dictated by our laws would only remain as allegations," he added. – With Jocelyn Montemayor

Tell all on NBN anomaly, Gloria urged

BY DENNIS GADIL

SENATE Blue Ribbon chair Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday said President Arroyo should show proof that the national broadband deal was indeed anomalous, saying she owes it to the public and her Cabinet members who insisted that the project was aboveboard.

Cayetano said the President’s admission in a radio interview Saturday that she was aware of the irregularities in the deal could be interpreted that she is as ready "to sacrifice her Cabinet to save herself and FG (Mike Arroyo)."

"This could mean that the vultures would get away while the goats (her Cabinet) would be fed to the mob," he said.

Sen. Manuel Roxas III said with her admission, President Arroyo should no longer prevent her Cabinet members from testifying in the Senate’s ZTE inquiry.

Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said the Supreme Court should now take a cue from the President’s admission by making a ruling on the executive privilege petition filed by the Senate.

"Dapat ma-realize ng Supreme Court na wala ng executive privilege, kasi presidente na mismo ang umamin," he said.

Pangilinan said it was unthinkable that the President knew about the kickbacks only on the eve of the contract signing.

Arroyo flew to China to witness the signing of the ZTE deal last April 22 in Boao.

"Why did she not order a thorough investigation and in the meantime insist that the contract signing be placed on hold instead of traveling all the way to China to be a witness to its signing?" he asked.

Opposition congressmen insisted the President’s admission was the strongest ground to impeach her.

Bayan Muna party list Rep. Teddy Casiño said the President’s admission is "a textbook case of betrayal of public trust."

"Now very clearly, she is directly in the ZTE picture by her own admission," said Rep. Roilo Golez (Ind., Parañaque), spokesman of the minority bloc.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez expressed support for an impeachment complaint.

"Ituloy nila iyang balak na iyan nang sa gayon ay lumabas na yung talagang katotohanan tungkol sa isyung ito ng NBN," Iñiguez, head of the CBCP’s public affairs committee, said.

NO CULPABILITY

President Arroyo, in a speech at a peace rally at the Cavite provincial capitol, dared her critics: "Ang paglilitis, hindi dinadaan sa tsismis. Ang paglilitis, dinadaan sa evidence. Merong karapat-dapat na korte para doon."

She said while everyone is against corruption and irregularities, there must be rule of law and democracy.

Cerge Remonde, presidential management staff director general, said there is no culpability on the part of Arroyo because it was only a memorandum of understanding that was signed. He said Arroyo canceled it "as soon as it became controversial."

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita failed to explain why it took Arroyo about six months to cancel the deal but said it showed that the President knew what to do once the contract started creating a lot of noise.

The NBN deal was signed in Boao, China on April 22, 2007. Arroyo cancelled the deal Sept. 22, 2007.

NO HARM, NO FOUL

Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said it is premature to talk about impeachment.

Nograles said there is no government culpability in the so-called deal because it was already canceled.

"In a basketball game, when there is no harm, there is no foul. Government did not lose any money, so where’s the harm? Where’s the foul?" he asked.

Nograles said the President only wanted to preserve good relations with China and make sure nobody would lose face. "That’s diplomacy in foreign relations."

"She stopped the deal, didn’t she? But she had to cushion the impact first," said Nograles. – With Regina Bengco, Gerard Naval and Wendell Vigilia

Compromise on cheap drugs bill eyed

BY DENNIS GADIL

THE Senate panel in the bicameral conference committee on the cheaper medicines bill is looking at taking out the "generics only" provision to facilitate the bill’s passage.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, health committee chair, said insisting on retaining the "generics only" provision may lead to further delay in bringing about the law.

She said her committee has been conducting separate hearings on the bill’s generics-only provision.

The House contingent is proposing a compromise by introducing a "sunrise" provision, where the generics-only provision would come in effect only after three years.

Under the Senate formula, the old provision which mandates doctors to prescribe both the generics and brand names would be retained.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II, the bill’s main proponent, said almost 90 percent of the conflicting provisions of the bill have already been resolved in the bicameral conference panel.

Roxas said the panel agreed to put in place a price regulation body only in areas where there is a big disparity in the prices between locally produced drugs compared and foreign brands. He said the health secretary will head the price regulation body.

Roxas said passing the "generics only" provision will stop drug stores from pushing branded drugs in connivance with giant drug companies.

Cayetano agreed that small local drug manufacturers will easily lose out to giant pharmaceutical firms in terms of lobbying before drug stores.

The two senators said the bicameral panel may come out with a final report next week.

Hindi demonyo ang ina ko -- Mikey

By: Ryan Ponce Pacpaco Marlon Purificacion at Jerry Tan

“MABAIT ang aking ina at hindi isang demonyo!!!”

Ito ang naging reaksiyon ni Presidential son at Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo sa umano’y pahayag ni Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri na demonyo ang kanyang ina na isiniwalat naman ni whistle-blower Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada.

“She’s not an evil person. She’s a good person. I love my mother. She’s not an evil person. As a matter of fact, she’s a good person,” anang kongresista.

Inererespeto naman nito ang sinasabing opinyon ni Neri sa kanyang ina na hindi naman kumakatawan sa pananaw ng karamihan ng mga tao.

“If he (Neri) indeed said, that’s his opinion. You can’t begrudge him for that. You can’t control other people’s emotions,” anang kongresista. “But what I can tell you is that their opinion is not shared by everybody.”

Sinabi ng Pampanga solon na hindi niya mapipilit ang mga tao na mahalin ang kanyang ina lalo’t hindi rin naman krimen ang magalit dito.

“If there are people who don’t like my mother as President, then I can’t help that. We can’t control how they feel. And assuming they don’t like my mother, it’s not a crime. It’s not a crime not to like my mother,” ani Rep. Arroyo.

“She is evil!

Ganito umano ang paglalarawan na isinagawa ni dating NEDA director Romulo Neri kay Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nang makipagpulong ito kina Senador Panfilo Lacson, Jamby Madrigal at ‘star witness’ Rodolfo Noel ‘Jun’ Lozada.

Ang paglalarawang ito ni Neri ay inihayag mismo ni Lozada sa pagpapatuloy na pagdinig ng Senado kahapon patungkol sa kontrobersiyal na $329 million ZTE-NBN broadband deal.

Gayunman, agad itong kinontra ni Senador Juan Ponce Enrile sa pagsasabing hindi maaaring pagbatayan ang testimonya ni Lozada dahil unang una’y ‘hearsay’ lamang ito at hindi mismo sa bibig ni Neri nanggaling ang naturang kuwento lalo’t paulit-ulit na tumatangging dumalo sa Senate hearing ang kasalukuyang chairman ng Commission on Higher Education.

Kinuwestiyon din Enrile ang sinabi ni Neri na humihingi ito ng ‘patriotic money’ sakaling bumaligtad sa kasalukuyang pamahalaan. Ayon kay Enrile, nagkakaroon ng kulay sa ganito, lalo’t nakahanda si Senador Jamby Madrigal na mag-alok ng ganitong uri ng tulong sa isang testigong katulad nina Neri at Lozada.

Bago kasi tukuyin ni Lozada ang tungkol sa pinag-usapan nila nina Neri, Madrigal at Senador Panfilo Lacson noong Disyembre 7 ng nakalipas na taon, nag-alala ang dating NEDA chief kung ano ang magiging buhay nito sakaling tuluyan nang tumestigo sa Senado.

Napilitan din si Lozada na ikuwento kung ano ang kanilang napag-usapan nina Madrigal, Lacson at Neri sa dinner sa Duets Bistro sa AIM residence-hotel sa Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Ilan sa tinukoy ni Lozada na pinangalanan umano ni Neri ay sina Enrique Razon ng International Container Terminal Service Inc., Tomas ‘Tummy’ Alcantara, dating managing head ng Board of Investments; at business tycoon Lucio Tan.

Sa umpisa pa lang ng pagdinig sa Senado kahapon, isinoli na ni Lozada ang limang bundle na tig-P500 na ipinabigay umano ni Undersecretary Manny Gaite sa kanya bilang panggastos sa ginawang ‘pagtatago’ sa Hong Kong.

JAMBY SINISI

Sinisi naman ng Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Group (ASG) at Police Security, Protection Office (PSPO) si Sen. Jamby Madrigal sa hindi pagdalo ng mga ito sa imbestigasyon sa Senado.

Sa liham na pinadala ng mga ito kay Atty. Felisberto Verano, nakasaad na hindi ‘in aid of legislation’ kundi ‘in aid of prosecution’ ang isinasagawang imbestigasyon ng Senado ukol sa kontrobersyal na ZTE project.

Ayon sa liham, mas makakabuti na hindi na lamang dadalo ang mga kapulisan na naimbitahan sa senado kung dadalo rin lamang si Madrigal na nagsampa sa kanila ng kasong obstruction of Justice.

Iginiit din ng abogado na nakahanda na sanang dumalo ang kanyang mga kliyente na si Aviation Security Group (ASG) Chief Supt. Atelano Morada, Supt. Paul Mascarinas, Police Security Protection Office (PSPO) Chief Supt.Romeo Hilomen, maging si Miaa Chief Security Retired Gen. Angel Atutubo, retired army ay personel ng ASG na si Rodolfo “Roger” Valeroso at apat na iba pang secutity ng Naia international airport, subalit naunsyame ito dahil sa pagdalo ni Madrigal.

DEPENSA NI ATUTUBO

Mariin ding pinabulaanan kahapon ng aviation security personnel na naka-assign sa rampa nang dumating si Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada na kasama nito si Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) assistant general manager for security and emergency services Ret. Gen. Angel Atutubo na sumakay sa sasak-yan sa kanyang pag-alis sa airport.

Kasama ang kanyang supervisor na si Jefry Rivera, binigyang-linaw ni Windy Zacarias ng Philippine Aviation Security Services Corporation (PASSCOR) na magkahiwalay na kotse ang sinakyan ni Lozada at Atutubo at hindi rin sila sabay-sabay na umalis at hindi rin iisang direksyon ang kanilang tinugo.

Ayon kay Zacarias, habang nagsasagawa ng kanyang tungkulin ay nakita niyang bumaba ng elevator si Lozada kasama si Atutubo at AGM for operations Engr. Bing Lina kasama si Cpl. Ronilo Ramilla na miyembro ng airport police department at aide de camp ni Atutubo.

Mula sa elevator ay sinundo umano si Lozada ng kotse at ito ay sumakay sa likuran nang mag-isa, bago tumuloy ang kotse sa Gate 2.

Matapos nito ay nagkanya-kanya na umano ng sakay sa kotse sina Atutubo at Lina bago naman tumungo sa hiwalay na direksyon . Kaugnay nito ay binigyang-diin ni Atutubo na pinaiiral ng MIAA management ang “transparency” sa isinasagawang imbestigasyon sa NAIA.

Lozada: Neri agonized over broadband deal OK

BY DENNIS GADIL

ROMULO Neri "agonized" over resigning as planning secretary after President Arroyo gave the go-signal to approve the $329 million broadband contract with China’s ZTE Corp., ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. told the Senate yesterday.

Lozada recalled that Neri also told him that President Arroyo has "lost all moral authority" over him after he was told by the President to just approve the project despite the P200 million bribe offer of then Elections chair Benjamin Abalos Sr.

Lozada said Neri told him that the President just shrugged off the potential threat of Jose "Joey" de Venecia III’s group leaking the alleged anomalies of the contract to the media.

"Sinabi daw ni Presidente ‘pakulo lang ni Joey ‘yan and his father,’" Lozada said quoting Neri.

Lozada said the President told Neri to cure the defects of the contracts and do everything so that the project would get funding from China.

Lozada said Neri confided all these to him in phone conversations or through exchanges of text message.

He said Neri confided the information to "many others."

He said he was not able to keep all the text messages that he received from Neri.

"But I have no reason to doubt. Ba’t naman sya magsisinungaling sa akin?" Lozada said.

Lozada declined to be placed under the government’s witness protection program. He said he would rather be under the care of his friends in the military.

When asked if he would also choose the Senate or Congress as sanctuary, Lozada said: "Opo."

Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said he wants the witness protection law amended to allow the Senate and Congress to also administer protection to its own witnesses.

On questioning by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Lozada said important papers might have been taken by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from his Philippine Forest Corp. office in Taguig City.

"Naghahanap po sila ng gagamitin sa akin," Lozada said, noting the raiding team did not have a search warrant.

Lozada also clarified that it was Anthony "Tony" Abaya, a political and communication consultant identified with former President Fidel Ramos, who invited him to go to the house of Sen. Joker Arroyo and not the senator’s wife, Fely Arroyo, sometime in September 2007.

He confirmed the contents of the two-page letter sent by Abaya to the Blue Ribbon committee dated Feb. 18, 2008 asserting that it was he and not Fely Arroyo who initiated the meeting.

Abaya in his letter also said Mrs. Arroyo "neither prompted nor suggested to Jun that he should not testify."

Neri, in a press conference in Malacañang, denied that "anything criminal" or even "impeachable" was discussed in his conversations with President Arroyo relating to the national broadband network project.

Neri said what they discussed was the reason he invoked executive privilege during his appearance in the Senate last year.

He said what he could share is that the President told him not to accept a supposed bribe from Abalos.

"There is no but. She just told me, ‘do not accept it.’ Beyond that I cannot say anymore. Wala yung but. There’s no such thing."

Neri dismissed a supposed affidavit of Lozada that circulated in the Internet, which talked about Neri’s reluctance to attend the hearings because he might say something that could lead to a "regime change."

He said while he finds the supposed affidavit to be "a very interesting piece on the political economy," he is uncertain if Lozada wrote it.

"I know Jun’s style. He has a somewhat different style of writing. It sounds more like it was written by a professional writer like one of you… I mean people with excellent (writing skills), good journalists," he added. – With Jocelyn Montemayor