Lozada, De Venecia III to testify vs Neri, Abalos in ZTE case
Government prosecutors have named Engr. Rodolfo Noel ‘Jun’ Lozada as primary witness in the graft case against former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) director general Romulo Neri in connection with the multi-million NBN-ZTE deal controversy.
Neri, who is now Social Security System (SSS) president, will meanwhile testify as first witness in a separate graft charge slapped against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Benjamin Abalos in connection with the same case.
Neri and Abalos were accused of having illegal financial interest in the government's botched $329-million national broadband network project with Chinese firm ZTE Corporation. The Office of the Ombudsman last week upheld their involvement in the case that rocked the Arroyo administration in 2008.
Lozada’s fellow whistleblower in the case, businessman Jose “Joey" de Venecia III, will also be a witness against Neri.
Eyed to testify against Abalos are Lozada; De Venecia and his father former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.; Engr. Dante Madriaga; and newspaper columnist Jarius Bondoc.
The Ombudsman said Abalos was unable to explain his interest in the broadband project when his public position as chairman of the Comelec had nothing to do with it.
During the Senate hearings on the case, Lozada, who was a NEDA technical consultant when the deal was made, accused Neri of intervening for the broadband project. De Venecia III, meanwhile, alleged that Abalos offered bribes to Neri to make sure that the deal will push through.
Abalos, who resigned from the Comelec in October 2007 because of the controversy, said he accepts the Ombudsman’s decision to uphold his involvement in the NBN-ZTE mess. He said he would just let the court decide whether or not he is guilty of the graft charges.
Neri’s camp, on the other hand, vowed to challenge the Ombudsman’s order. - JA/KBK, GMANews.TV
Neri, who is now Social Security System (SSS) president, will meanwhile testify as first witness in a separate graft charge slapped against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Benjamin Abalos in connection with the same case.
Neri and Abalos were accused of having illegal financial interest in the government's botched $329-million national broadband network project with Chinese firm ZTE Corporation. The Office of the Ombudsman last week upheld their involvement in the case that rocked the Arroyo administration in 2008.
Lozada’s fellow whistleblower in the case, businessman Jose “Joey" de Venecia III, will also be a witness against Neri.
Eyed to testify against Abalos are Lozada; De Venecia and his father former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.; Engr. Dante Madriaga; and newspaper columnist Jarius Bondoc.
The Ombudsman said Abalos was unable to explain his interest in the broadband project when his public position as chairman of the Comelec had nothing to do with it.
During the Senate hearings on the case, Lozada, who was a NEDA technical consultant when the deal was made, accused Neri of intervening for the broadband project. De Venecia III, meanwhile, alleged that Abalos offered bribes to Neri to make sure that the deal will push through.
Abalos, who resigned from the Comelec in October 2007 because of the controversy, said he accepts the Ombudsman’s decision to uphold his involvement in the NBN-ZTE mess. He said he would just let the court decide whether or not he is guilty of the graft charges.
Neri’s camp, on the other hand, vowed to challenge the Ombudsman’s order. - JA/KBK, GMANews.TV
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