|
By Jomar Canlas, Reporter
The Justice department wants the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
to explain why it raided the former office of Rodolfo “Jun”
Lozada Jr., a witness in the Senate probe into the controversial
national broadband deal.
In a one-page memorandum to NBI Director Nestor
Mantaring, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the raid on February
12, 2008, was done “without proper coordination” with his
office. The bureau is an attached agency of the Justice department.
The NBI was “required to explain within 24
hours.”
“It is expected at all times to discharge its
functions in accordance with [the] law taking care that its mandate
be not exercised in a manner that would fan partisanship,”
Gonzalez said in the memo.
Probe by Ombudsman
In the meantime, the Office of the Ombudsman
will start today its probe into the allegations of bribery in the
broadband deal and the reported kidnapping of Lozada when he
returned after fleeing to Hong Kong to escape testifying before the
Senate.
To ensure transparency, Ombudsman Maria Merceditas Gutierrez said
their hearings will be open to the public.
Even though Gutierrez is close to the President’s family, she
insisted that she is independent of Malacañang and apolitical. She
is a former classmate of the President’s husband, Jose Miguel
“Mike” Arroyo, and was appointed to her post by Mrs. Arroyo.
Mike Arroyo, former Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr.
of the Commission on Elections, Jose “Joey” de Venecia 3rd are
among those subpoenaed by the Ombudsman. Her office has consolidated
all eight cases involving the broadband deal.
The preliminary investigation will be chaired by
Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, who will work with Deputy
Ombudsman for the Military Emilio Gonzales 3rd, Deputy Special
Prosecutor Robert Kallos, Assistant Ombudsman Rodolfo Elman and
Director Cesar Asuncion.
The kidnapping charge will be taken up separately in fact finding
session that is to be conducted by Graft Investigation and
Prosecution Officers Dennis Garcia, Rolando Cervantes, Dynah Camba,
Michael Paul Israel, and Assistant Graft Investigation Officers
Rodney Henson and Rodil Buenaventura.
|
