Palace confident new NBN-ZTE probe would not affect First Couple

Manila (1 September) — Malacanang expressed confidence yesterday that a renewed Senate investigation on the botched US$329 million National Broadband Network-Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (NBN-ZTE) deal would have no effect on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo since all legal questions on the issue had been legally answered.

In a press briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Anthony Golez reminded the critics of President Arroyo on the Supreme Court ruling that any evidences presented after a year or two would no longer add weight on the case.

Golez added the First Couple have nothing to explain with the broadband contract having been cancelled due to the controversies surrounding the case.

He likened the new investigation to a telenovela where critics of the President would just repeat questions already answered by Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Jr. and the technical working group of the Department of Transportation and Communications two years ago at the Senate inquiry.

The Upper Chamber is set to reopen an investigation on the botched telecom deal ostensibly in aid of legislation. The Office of the Ombudsman, however, already cleared the First Couple on graft in connection of the controversial NBN-ZTE deal.

Golez reminded the public that controversy started in 2007 when the losing bidder, Amsterdam Holdings, founded by Joey De Venecia, son of former Speaker Jose De Venecia, Jr., threw allegations against the government.

The deputy spokesperson noted that Amsterdam Holdings lost the bid to NBN-ZTE because it failed to present the company’s financial capability to handle such huge project, among other reasons.

He added that the younger De Venecia should not even participate on the bidding because “his father is the fourth top official of the country and it will violate the Philippine laws.”

In the same media briefing, Golez also denied that Social Security Services President Romulo Neri was being used by the government as a sacrificial lamb, as certain quarters claimed.

In a 144-age decision signed by Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, complaints against the First Gentleman, several government officials, and executives of the ZTE were dismissed for lack of probable cause.

The panel has not been presented with convincing and solid evidence directly or indirectly linking respondent Jose Miguel Arroyo in the project, the Ombudsman decision said.

The Ombudsman also noted there is nothing to connect the President to the deal because the complainants failed to show a copy of the NBN-ZTE contract. (OPS)