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By Efren L. Danao, Senior
Reporter
A key witness in the Senate’s
broadband probe corroborated the earlier testimony of Jose
“Joey” de Venecia 3rd on the active role of resigned Chairman
Benjamin Abalos Sr. of the Commission on Elections in the aborted
$330-million project.
Rodolfo Lozada Jr., who had been
missing since returning to Manila on Tuesday, held a press
conference at about 2 a.m. Thursday at La Salle Greenhills in San
Juan City, Metro Manila.
Lozada said he working on the
national broadband project that was to be given to de Venecia—the
businessman son of Jose de Venecia Jr., who was just ousted as House
speaker earlier this week. The project was to be a
build-operate-transfer scheme, with Abalos responsible for the
supply of the needed broadband equipment.
But Lozada said Abalos did not
want a build-operate-transfer arrangement, suggesting instead that
the Philippines get a loan from the Chinese that will also cover his
$130-million “commission.” When Abalos did not get his way,
Lozada added that the former Comelec chairman berated him over the
telephone, swore at him and even threatened to have him killed
should he show up at Wack-Wackor Mandaluyong City. Wack-Wack is an
exclusive residential community in Mandaluyong City, of which Abalos
was once mayor.
China’s ZTE Corp. eventually
won the $330-million national broadband contract. Lozada said the
project became a government project after Abalos had talked with a
person he only identified as “FG.”
Lozada used to be a consultant of
Romulo Neri, formerly director general of the National Economic
Development Authority. Lozada often sat as representative of Neri in
discussions on the broadband project. He said he quit as project
consultant on January 18, 2007, after getting threatened by Abalos.
Lozado is now chief executive
officer of the Philippine Forests Inc., a government-owned
corporation, which is administratively under the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources.
The Senate took custody of Lozada
at 3 a.m., Thursday, after the press conference.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano,
chairman of the Senate blue-ribbon committee, told a press briefing
at the Senate on Thursday that Lozada will give details about the
broadband.
Palace probe
Malacañang said the Senate could
continue with the investigation simultaneously with the
government’s own inquiry to show that the administration of
President Gloria Arroyo is addressing the issue. But the parallel
probe, it added, is not intended to preempt the Senate.
President Arroyo also on Thursday
ordered the Department of Justice to conduct preliminary
investigation of those who may have been liable for violation of
laws on procurement and against corrupt practices in connection with
the scrapped broadband project.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye
said the President had also ordered the Philippine National Police
and the National Bureau of Investigation to talk with Congress on
possibly entering into an agreement on the servicing of warrants by
Congress on witnesses.
Serrgio Apostol, the chief
presidential legal counsel, said the government investigation will
try to resolve the controversy from the project and prosecute those
who are criminally liable.
The Senate hearing was set at 10
a.m. today after the Senate doctor, Mariano Blancia, said Thursday
that Lozada needed rest. Blancia found his blood pressure normal,
however. A hearing is usually conducted three days after senators
are given notice. In Lozada’s case, senators waived the three-day
rule and agreed to a hearing within 24 days after consultations
conducted by Cayetano.
Cayetano refused to tell media
what Lozada had told him and Senate President Manuel Villar Jr.,
saying he would prefer Lozada to do the talking at the continuation
of the inquiry. Lozada was at the room of Cayetano sleeping while
Cayetano and Villar were conducting the press briefing.
Airport abduction?
Villar said what was more
important for him was not the broadband deal but the airport
incident where Lozada disappeared after arriving from Hong Kong
onboard a Cathay Pacific plane around 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday. He added
that Lozada had told him that he did not expect to be picked up at
the airport and that he was fearful for his safety. Villar said he
would seek full accounting of the airport incident from the
authorities why Lozada was whisked away without passing through
Customs and Immigration and who had authorized it.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson had convinced
Lozada to appear as witness at the Senate inquiry. But the premature
disclosure of Lozada’s name as surprise witness had subjected him
to pressure and became fearful of testifying, Lacson said. The
Senate Blue-Ribbon Committee cited Lozada and Neri in contempt and
ordered them arrested after they failed to attend the Senate
inquiry. The Senate sergeant-at-arms got to serve the warrant only
after the press conference of Lozada at De La Salle.
Lacson urged Mrs. Arroyo to
immediately call snap elections “if she still has some moral
fibers left in her body,” while Cayetano urged her to take a leave
of absence along with Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon
Jr. so Lozada could talk freely and there would be no undue pressure
on him.
Malacañang said these statements
of Lacson and Cayetano indicated that the Senate investigation was
really meant to seek the downfall of the Arroyo administration and
that some presidential contenders could not wait for 2010. Elections
for a new President will be held in that year.
To show that he meant well,
Lacson said, he would not run in any snap elections and would
support whoever would be chosen by the opposition.
Cayetano shrugged off Malacañang’s
tirade.
“We were not the ones who
entered into the ZTE deal,” he said. “The exposés are being
done by men who were once close to Malacañang.”
Backed by bishops
If Lozada does tell all, the
influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines will
be fully behind him.
“He [Lozada] must tell the
truth and nothing but the truth,” the bishops’ president, Jaro
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, said in a statement.
Lagdameo, however, cautioned
Lozada against the danger he might face because of his exposé.
He said Lozada surely will run
over influential people but, the archbishop added, the truth must
prevail. “If we are looking for the truth, he must tell all that
he knows about the deal,” Lagdamaeo said.
--With Angelo S. Samonte and William B. Depasupil
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