Pinoy VOTE

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo denied yesterday telling the son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to “back off” from the controversial $329-million national broadband network (NBN) project that was awarded by the government to the Chinese firm ZTE Corp., during a meeting at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City last March.

{xtypo_quote}“I never said to him, ‘back off.’ That is not in my vocabulary,”{/xtypo_quote} Arroyo told reporters upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) around 4:50 p.m. yesterday.

“I never pointed a finger at Joey de Venecia. How can I tell someone who I just met for the first time to back off?” he said as he accused Jose de Venecia III of making up the whole story of how he allegedly pointed a finger at him to bully and force him to withdraw his company’s bid for the NBN project.

“I reminded him he might be liable under the anti-graft law because he is the son of the Speaker,” Mr. Arroyo said, even as he admitted being at Wack Wack at the time of the alleged confrontation with the young De Venecia but noted that he was there purely by chance.

The young De Venecia, majority stockholder of Amsterdam Holdings Inc. that lost to ZTE in the broadband project, told a recent public hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that Mr. Arroyo told him to “back off” from the NBN project during a supposed reconciliation meeting at Wack Wack between him and former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos who was allegedly brokering for ZTE.

Abalos resigned from the Comelec last Monday amid the clamor for his impeachment.

Mr. Arroyo, who left for a vacation in Spain last Sept. 17, a day before the Senate started its probe on the ZTE scandal, did not say if he is willing to testify before the Senate to clear his name.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Alfonso Cusi and assistant general manager for security and emergency services Gen. Angel Atutubo welcomed the First Gentleman, who was accompanied by Benito Araneta.

Asked if he would file perjury and libel charges against Joey de Venecia, Mr. Arroyo replied, “I don’t know, that’s up to my lawyers.”

Mr. Arroyo’s lawyers said yesterday there is no decision yet if the First Gentleman would attend the Senate hearing on the ZTE deal.

In separate interviews, lawyers Ruy Rondain and Jesus Santos said they have yet to sit down with Mr. Arroyo to discuss the matter. The lawyers did not meet Mr. Arroyo at the airport as Rondain was in Bacolod while Santos was in Bulacan yesterday.

“I cannot say whether the First Gentleman would appear or not because there is no subpoena,” Rondain said.

He said while the Senate earlier sent an invitation to Mr. Arroyo, he had written the committees conducting the inquiry that his client was abroad and therefore could not appear at the hearings.

“I don’t have the legal and other facts so I cannot say what to suggest,” he said when asked whether he would recommend to the First Gentleman to appear or not in the next hearing.

He said he would also take into consideration the advice of Mr. Arroyo’s doctors on whether he can withstand the grueling public hearing.

Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico hinted that he might include Mr. Arroyo as one of the respondents, along with former National Economic and Development Authority director general Romulo Neri, once he files charges against Abalos at the Office of the Ombudsman.

Suplico said he and his volunteer lawyers are still studying the role of President Arroyo’s husband in the ZTE deal.

Suplico cited the fact that Mr. Arroyo was present when the alleged crime was being committed, particularly the incident where the latter allegedly threatened the young De Venecia to back off from the broadband project.

“Clearly, he (Mr. Arroyo) was present when the crime was being committed. On Neri, he’s invoking executive privilege. That can’t be used as defense. That’s clear cover up. In that case, Neri can be held liable too even as principal,” he said.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said Abalos’ resignation ushers in the chance for the Comelec to take a new direction towards redeeming its credibility as the administrator of elections and the guardian of voters.

“It is important that this golden opportunity should not be put to waste by ensuring that the next chairman will have an impeccable service record, an unassailable character and reputation and integrity beyond reproach,” Biazon added. - With Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed