NBN SCANDAL
(UPDATE) Ombudsman summons First Gentleman to NBN hearing
Witness Lozada not yet sought
By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:18:00 02/15/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The Office of the Ombudsman has summoned First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to appear at its public hearing on charges filed in connection with the scandal-tainted national broadband network (NBN) deal on Monday morning.
However, Rodolfo Jun Lozada Jr., key witness in the Senate investigation into the scrapped deal, is not among those summoned.
Aside from Mr. Arroyo, notices of hearing have been sent to Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) chairman Romulo Neri, former House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr., De Venecia’s son Jose III, and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos.
The complainants -- former vice president Teofisto Guingona, lawyer Harry Roque Jr., Ma. Dominga Padilla, Roel Garcia, Bebu Bulchand, Fr. Jose Dizon, party-list Representatives Joel Villanueva and Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, and lawyers Roberto Rafael Pulido and Oliver Lozano -- have also been required to appear at the hearing.
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said they have not yet summoned Lozada because they opted to wait for the transcripts of his testimony at the Senate inquiry.
"If there is a need for him to clarify some things, then we will summon him," Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez, meanwhile, maintained that her office is impartial.
"My relations with the First Gentleman [are] close but far -- close because he was a former classmate, far because the Office of the Ombudsman is independent and is only answerable to the public," Gutierrez said.
The NBN contract, awarded to China’s ZTE Corp., was scrapped following allegations of bribery and overpricing to which Mr. Arroyo and Abalos have been implicated.