Villar to JDV: You have 5 days to make up mind

REP. Jose de Venecia Jr. (Lakas, Pangasinan) has five session days left to decide if he will testify in the Senate’s NBN-ZTE broadband inquiry, Senate President Manuel Villar said yesterday.

"Mas maganda kung may session ang Senado," Villar said in a radio interview.

The Senate has only five session days left since June 9 was declared as holiday by Malacañang. It adjourns on June 11.

Congress holds sessions Monday to Wednesday.

Villar said he will neither encourage nor discourage the former Speaker to testify on the NBN-ZTE deal. "He’s been a speaker for a long time. Di na kailangang turuan, alam niya ang mangyayari at pwedeng di mangyari."

De Venecia has said that he was just waiting for the "perfect" opportunity to reveal what happened when he, President Arroyo and her husband Mike met with officials of the ZTE Corp in Shenzhen, China in November 2006.

Last week, he reiterated his commitment to testify in the Senate.

Villar said De Venecia could not evade being asked about other issues aside from the NBN-ZTE contract. "We can’t stop other senators from bringing up other issues."

De Venecia was said to have personal knowledge on how the $500 million NorthRail and $932 million SouthRail projects were packaged and approved.

The two projects were awarded to Chinese contractors.

Villar denied reports the Senate has recalled the security detail of ZTE star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada. "Inaayos namin ang sistema. Ibababa ang budget ng security," he said.

Villar said senators have even vowed to pool their resources to continue supporting Lozada even when the broadband probe is finished.

Administration Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile had proposed the recall of the security detail upon receiving information that the Senate has spent almost P2 million for the security of Lozada and ZTE consultant Dante Madriaga. – Dennis Gadil