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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Abalos accuses Neri of brokering ZTE deal
MANILA (3rd Update 3 p.m.) -- Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos got his chance in getting back at former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri who earlier accused him of bribery.
Abalos and Neri both appeared as resource persons in the Senate investigation looking into the alleged questionable national broadband network (NBN) project with ZTE Corp. , a Chinese firm.
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During the hearing, Abalos has time and again asked if he indeed tried to bribe Neri and businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III just to ensure that ZTE will get the NBN project.
The poll official in response to the queries protested allegations of brokering the NBN project saying he didn’t have anything to do with the project.
He said if there was anybody brokering the NBN-ZTE project, it was not him but Neri after the former socioeconomic planning secretary wrote a “comfort letter” in support to Joey de Venecia’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) proposal for the NBN project.
Abalos said Neri has been insisting that the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) do not entertain proposals as they endorsed them to the government agency concerned of the proposed project.
Neri said he received the proposal of Joey de Venecia and forward the proposal to the Department of Transportation and Communication.
Abalos said having that comfort paper from Neri will clearly gave de Venecia a chance to increase his potential to get more investors and capitalization for his company to undertake such project.
The poll official was earlier accused by Neri of attempting to bribe him. He refused to respond on Neri’s allegation saying he couldn’t recall after all Neri himself was not sure of what the “200” was.
The poll official said he had no business or reason to offer a bribe to Neri since he was never part of the NBN-ZTE project.
Abalos said Neri was lying under oath in as far as the bribery allegations in concerned.
Neri confirmed Wednesday morning that Abalos offered him “200” for a possible endorsement of the national broadband network (NBN) deal with ZTE Corp. of China.
Neri recalled having three meetings with Abalos discussing the NBN-ZTE deal. He said of the three meetings a golf game with Abalos early this year was “unsual”.
“There was something he said that surprise me, Sec may 200 ka ditto,” Neri recalled Abalos telling him while they were in a golf cart at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club.
When asked by senators if what 200 Abalos was referring to, Neri said he can’t exactly tell if it was in millions, in thousands or in hundreds, he just assumed that it was in millions because of the amount of the ZTE project which is at $330 million.
Neri said he was shocked of Abalos statement assuming it was an offer to bribe him in relation to the NBN-ZTE deal. He said they were discussing the NBN project when Abalos made the statement.
Neri said he reported the matter to President Gloria Macagapal-Arroyo and was advised by the President not to accept it. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan.
(September 26, 2007 issue)
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