Britney Spears Is Granted To Visit her Children

Troubled US pop star Britney Spears has spent several hours with her two sons after being granted access to visit them on Saturday.
It is nearly two months since she last saw them, after her ex-husband Kevin Federline was legally given sole custody of them on 4 January.
But Mr Federline's lawyer said on Saturday an agreement allowing Spears to see her children had been reached.
Mark Vincent Kaplan said both parents agreed to a revision of a court order.
'Participant in their lives'
The order had stripped Spears, 26, of her visitation rights.
"The process of reinstating the children's mother as a participant in their lives can commence," Mr Kaplan said.
Mr Federline's spokesman, Elliot Mintz, said Spears' father, James, played a key part in making possible the visit with Jayden James, aged one, and Sean Preston, two.
He gave no further details of the reunion.
The court order was put in place in January after Spears had refused to return her children to their father after a visit. It resulted in a stand-off with police at her house.
She was admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward following the incident, and spent another six days in a psychiatric unit earlier this month.
Mr Federline had been awarded primary custody of the boys last October.

Kc Conconception and Angelina Jolie Has The Same Visions in Life

She’s smart, articulate, and doesn’t mind going to dangerous places.Angelina Jolie?No, she’s Kristina Cassandra ‘KC’ Concepcion, the Philippines’ first National Ambassador Against Hunger."KC is the total package: she is beautiful, she is charming, she is articulate, she is smart, she is down to earth. She did not complain during our fairly difficult traveling around in Mindanao; she relished it,” said United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Country Director Valerie Guarnieri, in an interview with abs-cbnNews.comKC went to Pikit, North Cotobato February 18 where she distributed rice, formulated meals and took part in on-site feeding.“I mean the first thing that she said when we asked her to join our effort as the national ambassador against hunger was : ‘When can I go to Mindanao? I wanna go there as often as possible I really wanna see it for myself. I wanna help.’” Guarneri said. “And it’s that spirit that makes KC the perfect person for this job.”KC is the second ambassador against hunger from Southeast Asia after Indonesian TV and film actor Luna Maya.KC and DrewHollywood actress Drew Barrymore is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Program. Guarnieri said KC and Barrymore also have similar traits."What I find about them that so similar is that both Drew and KC are so charming. I mean that’s the thing that comes across. I mean lots of people can be beautiful, but charm has something that comes all the way from the inside,” she said. “It’s something that people really respond to because beauty in itself can make you a little bit aloof, but with charm, you bring people to you and they want to listen to you and be with you.”Guarnieri said KC is a fast-learner.“When I first met her and I was talking to KC about hunger and the programs of the World Food Program in the Philippines, she just got it immediately. She really understood that hunger was such a basic issue, that food assistance was something that could not only address hunger but really make a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “And so it was just immediately apparent to me that she would be the voice of our programs of the people of Mindanao here and the Philippines.”She said KC also connected well with the community."When we were traveling with her in Cotabato it was just amazing to see how children reacted to her, how everybody reacted to her, they were so touched that she visited them that she cared about their issues,” Guarnieri said. "KC just has a tremendous appeal among young people, among adults."Screening, Security RisksIn a press conference February 21, KC revealed it wasn’t easy getting picked for the job by the UN."I went through a screening process for four months, and the [UN offices in] Rome and Thailand ang nag-screen. So, wala kaming kinalaman (we had nothing to do with it),” she said. “Pwedeng hindi ako ang napili (It could have been someone else), but in the end, I'm just very, very happy.”The UNWFP declined to name the other candidates.KC said there’s great risk in being an ambassador, but it’s worth taking.Her family also gave her full support despite the dangers that go with the work.Her stepfather, Senator Francis Pangilinan, who was at the press conference, said he was "very proud and very happy and excited” of KC’s new advocacy.“As a public servant, these are some of the issues that are close to my heart: how to address issues such as poverty, hunger and unemployment,” he said. “So her own participation and involvement is welcome, and I’m very proud her, and we hope to be able to continue provide her the guidance and advice as she goes to this new job.”Although KC’s mother, actress Sharon Cuneta, wasn’t at the press conferences, Pangilinan said her wife was also fully supportive of her daughter’s new mission in life."Same feeling,” he said. “Of course, may halong takot.”“We felt this is good. In the long run it’s her education… part of her personal growth and development, and I think this experience will also be a continuing education and enlightenment for her and experience for her,” Pangilinan said.To help her stepdaughter’s cause, Pangilinan committed P5 million from his priority development assistance fund for the Food for Education Program in Mindanao.WFP Country ProgramWFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions. The major donors to WFP's emergency assistance program for people affected by the conflict in Mindanao are: multilateral funds (US$15.2 million); Japan (US$2.4 million), Spain ($1.47 million) Australia (US$1.4 million) and Germany (US$985,000).WFP returned to the Philippines in 2006 to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mindanao by addressing the food security needs of vulnerable people in conflict affected areas and by supporting the security of beneficiaries and their livelihoods.WFP's Food for Education Program in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and adjacent areas uses food support as an incentive to promote school attendance and reduce dropouts in conflict-affected areas.Over the past year, it has increased enrolment by 40 percent and cut dropouts in assisted schools by providing monthly food support to more than 180,000 children in 800 schools.In addition to its school feeding program, WFP supports nearly one million people in Mindanao, including internally-displaced, pregnant and nursing mothers and others affected by the conflict.

A Lot of people Believe Lozada's testimony During ABS-CBN "Harapan Episode"

Four government officials took turns in trying to shoot holes into the testimony of Senate star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada's testimony Saturday night, during the ABS-CBN TV special "Harapan: The Jun Lozada Expose".Lozada participated in the show's discussion by remote link-up as he is still staying with the brothers and nuns inside LaSalle High School in Greenhills.Lozada earlier blew the whistle on the scrapped National Broadband Network deal between the Philippine government and the Chinese government-owned ZTE Corporation, claiming the contract was tainted by corruption during a series of hearings at the Philippine Senate.During the "Harapan" TV special, former Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos; Malacañang deputy spokesman Anthony Golez; Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso III of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon each had a chance to emphasize supposed inconsistencies and logical lapses in Lozada's Senate testimony.Abalos asked viewers to consider how come Lozada continued to play golf in the Wack-Wack Gofl & Country Club--where Abalos is president--even after receiving a supposed death threat from the former poll chief.Abalos also pointed out that Lozada even frequently ate in a restaurant owned by his daughter which is inside Wack-Wack.The former COMELEC chief then talked at length about the restaurant. He said the restaurant, Ben's Diner was named after him. He also boasted about the restaurant's "delicious" hamburgers, which he said are made from his own recipe."Akala ko ba tinakot kita? How come after kitang takutin for the whole year you’ve been there at Wack Wack?... Those hamburgers must be worth dying for, " said Abalos.(Why is it that even after I supposedly threatened to kill you, you kept coming back to Wack-Wack?)Lozada replied that he only went to the golf course when he accompanied his friend National Economic and Development Authority head Romy Neri."Si Secretary Neri po kasi ang dedepensa sa akin (I counted on Secretary Neri to defend me)," said Lozada.Abalos also slammed Lozada for constantly claiming that he is not a wealthy man, noting that the latter, the former head of the Philippine Forest Corporation, had to shell out P425,000 as an initial payment to become a member in Wack Wack.Lozada replied that he already had the means to pay for the membership even before he worked for government, pointing out that he was already a successful businessman in the I.T. field before his appointment to a government post.Lozada, then challenged Abalos to voluntarily submit his phone records showing the calls he made from September 2006 to January 2007 to prove that during that period they had been "phone pals.""Tingnan niyo po, without subpoena, ‘yong phone records niya, ‘yong binayaran niya sa telepono. Ako po ipapakita ko ‘yong phone bills ko noong period na ‘yon, makikita niyo phone pals kami ni chairman Abalos," Lozada said.Lozada added that the phone records will show that he and Abalos were in constant communication while he (Lozada) was trying to help "protect" the $130 million kickback demanded by the poll chief.Lozada to return P500,000Lozada also revealed that after he flew to Hong Kong to avoid testifying in the Senate, said Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Manuel "Manny" Gaite had provided P500,000 for him to use for his expenses.Lozada said that the money came too late and since he was already in Hong Kong, he asked his brother to pick it up for him.He said the money is still intact since he used his credit card when he shopped in Hong Kong."Pinadalhan naman ako ng P500,000 nila Manny. Sinubukan ko pong mamili ng mga bagay-bagay para lang baka masiyahan ako, (para maramdaman ko) ang buhay mayaman…. kaya lang pagbalik ko sa kwarto ko, hindi masayang gumastos na hindi mo pinaghirapan," he said.(I tried to splurge on shoppoing in Hong Kong, so I could get a taste of what it's like to be rich... but when I got back to my hotel room I wasn't happy. It's a terrible feeling to spend money you did not earn.)Lozada said that he originally planned to use the money from Gaite to pay for his credit card bill but now, he would rather turn it over to the Senate.Golez declined to comment on Lozada's latest revelation, saying this was the first time that he heard of the allegation.PNP chief Razon meanwhile said that in hindsight, he now regrets helping "protect" Lozada."Kami ay nagtrabaho lang. Nag-provide kami ng security sa kanya. Ngayon nabaligtad. Kidnappers daw kami, abductors. The PNP is not in the business of kidnapping and abdcution... Ako ay nagsisisi, tumulong lang kami, kung bakit namin tinulungan si Mr. Jun Lozada. Sana pinabayaan na lang namin na pag labas niya ng airport siya ay nakuha ng Senado," Razon said.(We were only doing our job. We provided him security. Now it's been reversed. He calls us kidnappers, abductors. We should have let him be and allowed him to go to the Senate.)Razon maintained that Lozada had been provided with security detail upon his and his sister's request as well as Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Lozada's former boss.Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso III of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) also defended the NBN project.Formoso defended the project's $329 million price tag. He said that the project cost rose from its original price tag of $262 million tro $329 million after government increased the broadband network coverage to reach the entire country. .Formoso said that it was this expanded coverage, not kickbacks, that spurred the rise in the project's cost.LawsuitThe ABS-CBN TV special went into overtime when businessman Donald Dee, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry showed up at the network to dispute some statements made by Lozada.Lozada had made statements that seemed to implicate Dee in the corruption allegations. Joining the panel at the studio, Dee said he will sue Lozada for dragging his name into the scandal."… he has made many statements. He better be ready to substantiate because I’m going to go through the proper process," Dee said during the ABS-CBN TV special "Harapan: The Jun Lozada expose."Dee said Lozada’s statements linking him to the controversial national broadband network (NBN) project were "baseless," adding that he "will not let this pass."Dee also maintained that he has never been involved in any government contract in his more than 40 years in business.Lozada reiterated on the show his previous statement in an earlier radio interview, claiming that Dee advised Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri to join President Arroyo during her September official visit to New York to avoid testifying in the Senate about alleged corruption in the NBN project.Neri was still the chief of the National Economic and Development Authority when the NBN project was approved by the Arroyo administration in favor of the Chinese government-controlled telecoms giant ZTE Corporation.As NEDA chief, it was Neri's job to study the NBN project and recommend that it be awarded to ZTE, which would have been responsible for building the national broadband network and transferring the technology to the Philippine government."... during the height when Romy Neri was supposed to go the Senate and we were playing golf with Donald I guess the day before or two days before yon na nga sinabi niya, 'Sumama ka na lang kay President kayo na mag-usap tungkol diyan.' 'Yong andun kami sa Club House meron pa kami, 'Kung 'yon ngang walang crisis yan ang ano mo, lalo na ngayong may crisis," Lozada said.(Donald told Romy when we were in the Club House, 'Just go with the President and talk about it.')Lozada claimed that Dee told Neri in jest that if he (Neri) was offered two hundred million pesos before the crisis resulting from the controversial broadband deal, what more now that a political crisis was brewing."Donald, I really have no intention of maligning you or something. If it really hurt you, I’m really sorry but I will stand by the truth na noong nag-golf tayo you said that," Lozada said.Neri did, in fact, testify before the Senate in September regarding the broadband deal between the Philippine government and the Chinese government-controlled ZTE Corporation.In his sworn statement, Neri said that former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos offered him P200 million in exchange for his (Neri's) approval of the broadband deal.Neri was still NEDA chief during the time that Abalos allegedly made the offer.Lozada has accused Abalos of fixing the broadband deal in favor of ZTE; he said that Abalos was supposed to have received a "commission" of $130 million dollars or six billion pesos, if the contract pushed through.

Rodolfo Jun Lozada Returned The 500 thousand pesos In The Senate

Senate witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr. Monday turned over to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee the P500,000 allegedly given to him by deputy executive Secretary Manuel Gaite for legal affairs as spending money for his trip to Hong Kong.Lozada presented the money contained in a brown envelope to the committee which has been hearing a probe on the national broadband network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the committee chairman, ordered a senate staff to open the sealed envelop and take out the cash.Cayetano noted that there were 10 bundles of P500 bills. He presumed that each bundle had P50,000.Lozada said the money was given to his younger brother in a mall Mandaluyong City during his third day of his Hong Kong trip.He said he called up chairman Romulo Neri of the Commission of Higher Education and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to complain that he had no money to spend while in Hong Kong.Last Saturday, during the face-off at a TV special, "Harapan: The Jun Lozada Expose", Lozada revealed that after he flew to Hong Kong to avoid testifying in the Senate, said Gaite had provided P500,000 for him to use for his expenses.Lozada said that the money came too late and since he was already in Hong Kong, he asked his brother to pick it up for him.He said the money is still intact since he used his credit card when he shopped in Hong Kong."Pinadalhan naman ako ng P500,000 nila Manny. Sinubukan ko pong mamili ng mga bagay-bagay para lang baka masiyahan ako, (para maramdaman ko) ang buhay mayaman…. kaya lang pagbalik ko sa kwarto ko, hindi masayang gumastos ng hindi mo pinaghirapan," he said.(I tried to splurge and go on a shopping spree in Hong Kong, so I could get a taste of what it's like to be rich. But when I got back to my hotel room I wasn't happy. It's a terrible feeling to spend money you did not earn.)Lozada said that he originally planned to use the money from Gaite to pay for his credit card bill but he would rather turn it over to the Senate.Gaite has yet to issue a statement on Lozada's claim.In his previous appearance before the Senate probe, Lozada, a key witness in the $329-million botched NBN-ZTE deal, also gave back P50,000 to his friend, former presidential chief of staff, Michael Defensor who gave him the money.Defensor, who was also attending the hearing, said he gave the money to help out Lozada while "hiding" at the La Salle Greenhills dormitory to evade attending the Senate inquiry.

Just tell the truth says Jose de Venecia

Ousted speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., in a privilege speech Wednesday, called on Commission on Higher Education Chairman Romulo Neri to go to the Senate, testify and tell the truth about the anomalies involving the scrapped national broadband network (NBN) deal."I ask you Secretary Romy Neri, 'wag na nating ibitin ang taong bayan (let's not keep the people waiting). Go, present yourself to the Senate, you have nothing to fear, nothing to hide," he said.In his speech, de Venecia linked Malacañang to the NBN controversy but fell short of explicitly linking President Arroyo directly to the scandal.“And I declare that the one issue that must not escape our moral scrutiny—the one issue that must prick the conscience of this House and this nation—is the issue of massive corruption involving the NBN-ZTE deal that has now engulfed the people in the President’s innermost circle,” said de Venecia.“Madame President if you're listening, I pray to God—honestly and sincerely—that Malacañang is not involved; that Malacañang’s hands are clean; and that Malacañang’s conscience is clear,” said de Venecia."But every day, with a new courageous witness coming forward with an unshakeable tale of avarice and abuse of power, the emerging picture from this jigsaw puzzle is putting Malacañang ever closer to the center of this firestorm—this hideous conspiracy to extract billions of pesos in kickbacks from the NBN deal with the Chinese corporation ZTE," said de Venecia.Not deviating from the tone that he had set in his previous privilege speech just before the House vote for his ouster, the representative of Pangasinan's 4th district continued his tirade against First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, the two Arroyo sons, business tycoon Enrique Razon and this time on Camarines Sur 2nd Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Kablikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) president which he believed were responsible for his ouster.Villafuerte on Tuesday had delivered a privilege speech as he explained the reasons for de Venecia’s ouster was not connected to the NBN controversy but on irregularities during de Venecia's term.“Yesterday, the man who—in conspiracy with the First Gentleman, with their two sons in this House, and with the most powerful crony capitalist under this Administration, Enrique Razon—orchestrated a change in the leadership of the House a week ago—this man rose again to malign my person and to peddle the foulest lies about my leadership and the collective performance of this activist House that you and I carefully built together,” said de Venecia.

Rodolfo Jun Lozada Tells The Truth Because the Truth Will set Him Free

“Who would like a life like this? Grabe na presyo ang magmahal sa bayan. Ito ang kinakatatakutan ko eh.” (Love of country exacts a heavy price. This is what I've been fearing.)With these words, former government executive Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. summed up his feelings about testifying in the Senate and revealing corruption in the multimillion dollar broadband deal between the government and China's ZTE Corp.Lozada was catapulted to national prominence after failing to show up in a Senate inquiry on the ZTE deal and his mysterious disappearance at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Tuesday.His statements in an early morning press conference on February 7 revealed alleged efforts of Malacañang to stop him from appearing in the Senate to the point of abducting him at the country's main international airport.In the press conference, Lozada revealed that President Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, and former elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr. backed ZTE's proposal for the national broadband network project.Lozada, who served as consultant for the NBN project, admitted that he did not want to appear before the upper chamber's inquiry because he could not lie about the alleged irregularities in the $329-milion broadband deal.On Monday, Lozada and other resource persons were subjected to 10 hours of grilling by senators on Lozada's alleged abduction. Throughout the hearing, Lozada reiterated that he was kidnapped at the airport, which ran counter to the officials' accounts that Lozada was given police protection and was free to move about.“The price is simply too much. Yung mga nanloloko sa bayan after the hearing, uuwi sa komportable, magagarang bahay nila. Nandun sa lahat ng mga comfort, lahat ng kaginhawahan ng yaman nila. Pero yung mga katulad ko, natutulog ka sa sofa. Wala kang kasama. So I really find it so unfair,” Lozada told ABS-CBN morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda.”(Those who have been fooling the people will be going home to their ostentatious, comfortable houses. They are all there with the comfort of their wealth. But the likes of me, we sleep alone on the sofa).Asked whose testimony during Monday's hearing irritated him the most, Lozada said: “I don’t want to name personalities. Halos lahat naman equal magnitude. Ayokong humantong sa personal na away ang ganito. Pag nasabi ka naman ng totoo, masasaktan naman din naman sila di ba? Bahala na ang tao mag-decide."(All of the testimonies have equal magnitude. I don’t want this fight to get personal. If you tell the truth, they would be hurt anyway, right? Let the people decide for themselves)Lozada said he had no political agenda when he told the Senate everything he knew about ZTE-NBN deal.“I did it jut because I came to a point that I can’t take it anymore. I would be lying to the whole nation if I push through with the press conference that time because they had been trying to let me sign documents denying about the abduction, denying that I know anything about ZTE.“I know I [brought] trouble to myself. I took my family in harm's way. (sic) Just like I told in my press conference, sometimes it’s [worth] taking a risk for this country,” Lozada said.

Rodolfo Jun Lozada Participation With ZTE-NBN Deal

Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr. has seen enough. At least from what he knows and how he has known former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., whom he accused of brokering the scrapped national broadband network (NBN) project."Pag gumano'n-gano'n siya sa labas, noong nakikita ko noong naghi-hearing? Naiiyak-iyak s'ya? Ay, ser, wala na sa akin 'yan, bumenta na sa akin iyan," Lozada told ABS-CBN News chief correspondent Korina Sanchez in an interview aired on ANC Sunday.(When he cries out there, when I saw him during the [Senate] hearings? That he was crying? Aw, sir, it no longer means anything to me. I've seen and bought it already and it turned out fake.)Abalos faced senators during the NBN hearing last year and denied that he was involved in the project. He also dismissed accusations that he tried to bribe former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri to approve the deal.Lozada said that he no longer believes it when Abalos sheds tears while vehemently denying accusations of irregularity in the project that was initially priced at $262 million but eventually ballooned to $329 million when approved by President Arroyo.Lozada, who was hired as a consultant in the scrapped NBN project, earlier accused Abalos of brokering the deal for ZTE Corp. for a $130-million commission.'May pusong Pinoy'During the interview, Lozada related a story regarding his experience in dealing with Abalos.Lozada said he was in a meeting with Abalos and ZTE representatives Fan Yan and Yu Yong when disagreed with the project's terms."Sabi ko ‘sir, hindi talaga uubra ito. Sa ganitong klaseng project, sobrang laki nito. (I told him, ‘sir, this won’t work. This is just too big),’" said Lozada.The consultant said Abalos then turned to the Chinese representatives and said, " 'You know what you're asking? Did you hear that? What you're asking me to do is to steal from my country... I cannot rob my people.' "Lozada said he was touched by the gesture because he remembered Abalos saying this with tears streaming from his eyes."I was so so touched by his gesture I cannot wait to get out of the room and call [then socioeconomic planning chief Romulo [Neri]. Sabi ko Rom, hanep pala itong si chairman Abalos...mukhang may pusong Pilipino."(I said, Rom, chairman Abalos is one of a kind....it seems like in spite of it all, it seems like he still has the heart of a Filipino).Lozada, however, said things went from bad to worse during the following weeks."After a few weeks, he was threatening to kill me already, so I don't buy that anymore," he said.Asked about the libel and perjury cases Abalos is preparing against him, Lozada said: "I guess that's the price I have to pay."Lawyer hits Lozada, Joey de VeneciaA lawyer for Abalos, meanwhile, said the accusations of Lozada and businessman Jose "Joey" de Venecia against his client have an ultimate goal: to oust President Arroyo.In a press briefing Sunday, Salvador Panelo both de Venecia and Lozada have been trying to linking First Gentleman Jose "Mike" Arroyo to the scrapped NBN-ZTE deal in order to destroy the Chief Executive.He added that de Venecia has a motive because he did not get the multi-million dollar contract."Nagalit siya kay Chairman Abalos dahil 'di n'ya nakuha yung kontratang 'yun ( He got mad at Chairman Abalos because he failed to get that contract)," Panelo said, calling the businessman a "sore loser."He also alleged that de Venecia’s former company had incurred a $10-million bad debt from ZTE.De Venecia’s other motivation could be the ouster of his father, Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., as House speaker, Panelo added."Yung motivation kung ipapasok mo 'yung tatay nya, dun sa kaso , ili-link mo si First Gentleman. I-link mo si First Gentleman, ang tutumbukin mo 'yung asawa. Kapag tinumbok mo yung asawa eh malaking isyu 'yun para sa kanila. Ibig nilang ibagsak ang gobyerno ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. That’s the entire motivation," Panelo said.(The motivation, if you involve the father in the case, is to link the First Gentleman, and if you link the First Gentleman, you will be linking the wife. If you link the wife then that’s a big issue for them. They want to bring down the government of Gloria Arroyo).Abalos, for his part, said there is an obvious conspiracy in the testimonies of Lozada and de Venecia on the NBN deal inquiry."Kitang kitang gustong isabit si FG (It is apparent that they want to link FG)," he said.

Governmet Officials gives A Series Of Denials Regarding Rodolfo Jun Lozada's Testimonies

Government officials and various allies of President Arroyo on Monday turned the tables on Senate witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada by saying that he was not kidnapped at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week.In his testimony last week, Lozada said various government officials, both former and present, helped him to leave the country and avoid testifying before the Senate inquiry on the scrapped broadband deal between the government and China's ZTE Corp.Lozada said Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Manuel Gaite gave him antedated travel papers to allow him to leave for Hong Kong on January 30.He added that "military-looking men" abducted him at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Tuesday and forced him to sign written requests for police protection and affidavits that said he knew nothing about the national broadband network deal.He said Michael Defensor, former presidential chief of staff, also asked him to hold a press conference to deny any knowledge about the ZTE deal -- a request which he refused. He also revealed that Defensor offered him money after trying to convince him to hold the press conference.National police chief Avelino Razon and airport officials Alfonso Cusi and Angel Atutubo said Lozada was not taken against his will from the airport and brought to Laguna province upon his arrival last Tuesday.Defensor said it was Lozada who told him that he needed money. The former presidential chief of staff said he got P50,000 from his wife and handed it over to the Senate witness who was then staying at the La Salle Greenhills dormitory in Mandaluyong City last Wednesday night.“Kinuha ni Jun. Thank you, pare, Inabot niya tapos inilagay niya sa likod… (Jun took the money. He said: ‘Thank you.’ He took it and put it in his back pocket),” Defensor narrated.Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said it was Lozada who asked him for help on how to avoid the subpoena for the hearing on the Senate NBN deal inquiry.He denied saying that he was talking to "Ma'am", a reference which Lozada said pertained to President Arroyo, while discussing what best to do on how to prevent Lozada from appearing before the Senate. "I feel violated by all this... My family has suffered, people who believed in me may be getting bothered by this," he told the Senate.Gaite, on the other hand, said it was Lozada who suggested that he could leave for London to avoid appearing in the Senate inquiry. "I don't want to cast aspersion that Jun has ill-feeling towards me to say that. He must have misinterpreted the way I said it," Gaite said."I did not prepare his travel papers," he added.Lawyer Antonio Bautista said he was contacted by Gaite on February 5 and asked for his help. He said he met with Lozada at the Outback restaurant in Libis where Lozada told him of the alleged irregularities in the NBN deal and asked him to draft an affidavit.He said it was Lozada who dictated to him how to draft the affidavit, which said that Lozada knew nothing about the NBN deal. Bautista denied saying that he asked Lozada to sign the affidavit "for the comfort of Malacañang.""I am offended by the suggestion that in my 50 years of lawyering, that I will draft any document that is null and void...I prepared the draft on his instructions," he said.

Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada testimony Part 1: On his abduction

Senate hearing on the investigation on the national broadband deal between the government and China's ZTE. Corp.
Transcript of testimony of Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. (Part 1)
February 8, 2008
Good morning, everyone.
So let me first tell the Senate what I would say today.
I would first say thank you sa lahat ng taong nagpapalakas ng loob ko. Tapos sabihin ko bakit ako umalis, ano ang nangyari noong bumalik ako at ano ang nalalaman ko tungkol sa ZTE NBN.
Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng mga taong nagpadala ng mensahe. Sa mga sagot ko ukol sa mga...(crying).
Kaya ako nandito dahil marami na ang nagsisinungaling tungkol sa may kinalaman ako gusto ko na ding matigil iyon kaya nandito ako. Ayaw kong maging dahilan na magkasala pa ang iba sa Diyos at bayan dahil sa akin.
Kaya ako nandito para maliwanagan iyong mga bagay na maraming tao ang nagtatanong. Mabigyan ng liwanag iyong mga bagay na maraming nagtatanong na lubhang nakakaapekto sa Pilipinas, sa kinabukasan ng mga anak natin.
Ang sasabihin ko po dito ay walang malisya kahit kanino. Wala naman akong kalaban.
Sasabihin ko po bakit ako umalis.
Subpoena
Noon po kasing lumabas iyong subpoena ko matagal na akong inimbita ng Senado noong Setyembre pa po di ako pumupunta dahil natatakot ako.
At nagpaalam ako kay Secretary [Romulo] Neri na inimbita na ako. Binanggit po daw yata ako ni Senator [Aquilino] Pimentel tinanong po si Joey [Venecia] daw kung kilala ako at sinabi niyang kilala kaya magmula noong araw na iyon ay natatakot na ako na baka mapunta ako dito.
Sinabi ko kay Secretary Neri iyon at sumulat ako sa DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), kay Secretary [Lito] Atienza na iniimbita ako. At sabi ko kay Secretary Neri na sana ay huwag na akong makarating sa Senado.
Matagal na po iyon. Ang akala ko ay patay na iyong NBN (national broadband network)-ZTE na ito para sana ay tuloy-tuloy na ako doon sa tuba-tuba, masaya po ako doon sa ginagawa kong trabaho.
At noong lumabas na naman iyong subpoena nagsabi na naman ako kay Secretary Neri na ano ang gagawin ko. Bahala na daw ang palasyo sa akin.
So pumunta ako kay Secretary Atienza. Si Secretary Atienza naman ay hindi alam kung ano ang kinalaman ko dito.
Noong pumunta po ako sa office ni Secretary Atienza two days before iyong hearing dito. Tinanong niya ako. Pinapasok niya ako sa room doon sa DENR. Tinanong niya ako, "Jun, ano ba ang kinalaman mo dito?" Sabi ko "Sec, ano ba ang gusto mong kuwento? Iyong salient points lang o from the top?"
Sabi niya sa akin "From the top." So kinuwento ko sa kanya lahat at nang malaman niya, sabi niya kapag kinuwento mo sa publiko ito magagalit sila. Ibibigay mo ang gobyerno na ito sa oposisyon.
So sabi niya, so sabi ko "Secretary, ayaw ko din pong mapunta doon. Hindi ko naman gulo iyan at saka simpleng tao lang ako. Marami na akong death threats."
Sabi niya, "Sige, tingnan natin ano ang magagawa natin na hindi ka makarating doon. Ano ba ang gusto mo?"
Sabi ko ito lang ang gusto kong mangyari. Sana huwag niyo na akong paratingin sa Senado. Tigilan na po iyong death threat sa akin at pangatlo kung ako ay makakarating sa Senado e kilala ko ang sarili ko baka hindi ako makapagsinungaling.
So, Lunes po yata iyon last week.
So noong Martes pumunta ako kay Deputy Executive Secretary (for Legal Affairs Manuel) Manny Gaite because nobody knew my role, very few people knew my role.
So pinaliwanag ulit ako ng mga tao ni Manny Gaite at noong nandiyan tapos sabi nila "Ano ang gusto mo?"
I'd been very consistent sa buhay ko. Sabi ko sa kanila: "Huwag nyo na akong paratingin sa Senado. Itigil ang death threat at kung di niyo mapapatigil ang Senado I have to tell them the truth under oath to God."
Sabi ni Secretary Gaite pinag-aaralan kung ano ang mga legal remedies para huwag akong makarating sa Senado. Sabi ng mga tao ni Gaite na wala silang makitang legal remedy to stop the Senate from getting me.
So they decided right there and then, that’s I think after lunch time, sabi nila kailangang lumabas si Jun.
So inayos nila ang ma travel documents nila pinagawa ako ng travel request pina-antedate at pinaalis ako papuntang Hong Kong.
Akala nila pagkatapos ng hearing na iyon ay for closure report na itong NBN-ZTE makakabalik na ako sa Pilipinas kasi tapos na . Kaya ako umalis. Wala akong balak na mambastos ng senador pero habang ako ay naniniwala na ako ay nasa gobyerno I will toe the government line.
Noong nasa Hong Kong ako napakalamig doon.
So there was once, di ko namatandaan ang araw, tinawagan ako ni Secretary Neri. Kausap niya daw si Medy yata, gumawa daw ako ng sulat para kay Senator [Juan Ponce] Enrile para raw ma-withdraw na iyong motion na arestuhin ako dahil pinapaaresto daw ako.
So pinapagawa ako ng sulat.
E ayaw kong ano dahil hindi ko naman kilala si Senator Enrile at sabi ko magtataka iyon. Bakit ako susulat sa kanya parang best friend na susulatan ko na lang basta basta.
Sabi niya: "Hindi. Sumulat ka na lang, kami na ang bahala." Hindi ko alam kung ano ang isusulat so they texted me what to write.
Hindi ko na lang natago ang text (message) mayroon doon na kasama na din si FG (First Gentleman) na walang kasama si FG doon sa nalalaman ko. Hindi ko sinama iyon kaya pasensya na kayo, Senator Enrile, mali-mali po iyong grammar.
So sabi ko sa kanila gusto ko nang umuwi kasi ang asawa ko alalang-alala na, sabi ko at saka hindi ako makatulog sa Hong Kong. Dalawang oras lang ang tulog ko doon.
So last week po tinawagan ako ni Secretary Atienza. Sabi niya "Kailangan ka ba dapat umuwi, February 7? Sige, umuwi ka na ng February 5. Don’t take iyong maraming tao, iyong alanganin kang oras umuwi."
Ako naman po ay masaya dahil gusto ko namang umuwi na.
Sabi ko: "Secretary paano iyong arrest warrant sa akin?" Sabi niya nakausap na namin si [Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Marcelino] Libanan. OK ka na sa immigration. Basta dumire-diretso ka lang hindi ka iho-hold ng immigration tapos pasalubong ka na lang OK ka na."
So iyon ang huling huling usapan namin so kampante ako doon na tapos na ito.
NAIA to Laguna
Pagbaba ko sa eroplano may kumuha sa aking mga lalaki na hindi ko naman kilala.
Ilalabas sana ako sa tarmac diretso. Basta nakapabilis ng pangyayari. Narinig ko lang doon sa radio nila na "Huwag kayong dadaan diyan. Huwag kayong dadaan diyan. Nandiyan ang mga taga-Senado."
So nilihis nila ako. Iniakyat ako sa departure tapos sinakay ulit ako sa elevator, binaba ulit ako sa tarmac. Sinakay ako sa sasakyan. Nagtatanong ako kung saan ako dadalhin. Sabi: "Sir, relax lang. Wala kaming gagawin sa inyo."
So iniikot nila ako. Labas kami, kilala sila ng security ng airport. Very obvious nandoon ang sasakyan namin tapos nilabas nila ako. Inikot-ikot kami doon sa airport tapos dinaan ako sa Fort Bonifacio, sa Villamor tapos inikot kami sa C-5. All the while, may radio. Naririnig nila ang radio doon sa Senado so they are pretty well equipped. Naawa nga ako sa taga-Senado, kuwentuhan sila ng kuwentuhan, naririnig naman sila ng kumuha sa akin.
Hindi ko alam kung ilang sasakyan iyong magkakasama kaming lahat basta marami sila.
Dadahin daw po yata ako sa Dasmariñas, Cavite.
So sinaylent mode ko na ang telepono ko at I texted my brother na may dumukot na sa akin dito. Bicolano po kasi: "May bumunlot na sa akin" so translation "may kumuha na sa akin."
So naturally my family was really alarmed so noong narinig ko na nasa Dasmariñas na, nasa Southwoods na kami, noong marinig kong sa Dasmariñas ako dadalhin naisip ko si [Bubby] Dacer.
So text ako agad sa kapatid ko na i-triangulate niyo kung nasaan itong telephone ko. Telecom enginer ako, may kakayahan ako sa telephone. I could do my best to triangulate and find this signal tapos sinabihan nila ako na: "Sir, tumigil na kayo ng kate-text. Nakukuha din naman namin."
So inikot-ikot pa din nila ako, ang layo na namin, nasa Calamba na kami, nagte-text pa din ako. Sabi ko: "Do your best to find me."
Tapos pinapatay na ang telepono sa akin noong nasa Los Baños na kami. May natanggap silang tawag sabi ng nasa harap ibalik na daw, ibalik na daw at napakainit na ng media. Nagpapasalamat ako sa media na tumulong sa amin.
Noong pabalik na kami tumigil kami sa isang gasoline station. Sabi "Gumawa ka, sir, ng isang sulat na nagre-request ka ng security detail sa amin."
Sabi ko may nakita akong Starbucks. Sabi ko doon sa Starbucks para may lamesa. Makatanggal-tanggal ng konting kaba.
Sabi: "Hindi. Kami po ang lalabas." So lumabas ang isang kasama kumuha ng papel. Naiwan ako sa isang mas bata, masabi ko: "Ikaw, bata ka pa. Huwag kang papagamit sa masama."
So bumalik sila. Pinasulat kamay na namin, "Sir, gumawa ka ng sulat na nagre-request ka ng security sa amin."
So ginawa ko din iyon tapos binalik ako ng Maynila. "Sir, iti-turnover ka na namin sa pulis."
So dinala ako sa Outback (Steak House) sa Libis. Pagdating namin doon, tinernover na ako. Nakilala ko ngayon -- sa pakilala niya sa akin si George pero siya pala si [Senior Superintendent) Paul Mascariñas at saka nandoon si Attorney Bautista. They were supposed to have dinner.
So noong pabalik na, tinawagan ako ni Secretary Atienza. Sabi niya: "Jun, huwag kang mag-alaala. Relax ka lang. Mag-uusap lang kami nila ES at saka ni Ma’am kung ano ang gagawin."
So noong pabalik na ako, relax ka lang. Tapos tumawag din si Secretary Neri. Sabi niya: "Calm your wife down." Sabi ko: "Secretary, she cannot calm down. She has to see me. Dapat makita niya ako kasi hindi titigil iyon."
Pasensiya na kayo dahil sa dami ng death threat. At napatayan na ako ng kapatid noong 2001. Napatay ang kapatid ko, wala ding nangyari.
Sabi ko kay Secretary Neri gusto ko nang umuwi. Sabi niya hindi sumunod so dinala ako sa Outback sa Libis. Nandoon si Atty. Bautista at ang lawyer and they are talking about to it.
Nakikain ako. Iyong unang platong nakita ko kinain ko na sa sobrang gutom ko. Si Atty. Bautista was asking me kung ano, obviously he knows me already, certain questions because he will prepare my affidavit.
So mukhang they’d decided to bring me sa Senate dahil sobrang init na but they want me to sign an affidavit first before going to Senate.
So pagkakain, ininterbyu na ako ni Atty. Bautista. Sabi ko: "Pwede na ba akong umuwi?" Sabi nila: "Sir, hindi ka pa pwedeng umuwi sa bahay, baka maraming media doon." Sabi nila: "Sa Rembrandt na lang namin kayo dalhin."
La Salle
Sabi ko: "Pwede bang sa Greenhills na lang?" Kasi ang mga anak ko kumbaga nasa sanctuary na ng La Salle Greenhills. Tinutulungan na ng mga brothers doon. Isa sila sa pasasalamatan ko.
Buti na lang iyong anak ni Col. Mascariñas ay gumradweyt sa La Salle at scholar pa ng La Salle brothers.
So I struck a sympathetic cord with him. "Ah ganoon ba? Sige, doon kita dalhin."
You can just imagine kung gaanong dasal at pasasalamat ang inabot ko.
So iyon po. Iyon nandoon na din iyong asawa ko nakita na at iyong mga kapatid ko. After a while nang nalaman nang nandoon ako, takbuhan makita lang na buhay ako pero iyong mga bantay ko nandoon pa din.
So kinabukasan po kinuha ulit ako. Dinala ako sa office ni Atty. Bautista where he has already prepared an affidavit for me and I have to fill in certain blanks there -- address ng opisina namin, anong klaseng engineer ba ako -- tinaype nila.
After that, pinakain ako ni Atty. Bautista and his wife..After noon, sabi pirmahan ko na yung affidavit ko.
Sabi ko kay Atty. Bautista: "I have some reservation sa affidavit." Sabi niya: "OK lang yon. Just sign it. Para sa comfort ng Malacañang din iyan."
So I signed it then they brought me back sa La Salle Greenhills para makapagpahinga na ako to prepare for the Senate hearing supposed to be yesterday.
At noong gabi na iyon ay bumalik si Col. Mascariñas with typewritten letter na at kailangan ko ding pirmahan. So iyon po sulat na naka-address sa PNP that I was requesting for security, for protection.
So lahat ng isubo nila sa akin I have to sign kasi siguro naiintindihan niyo naman nandoon sila sa akin. So I have to sign it.
Tapos noong pinirmahan ko iyon hindi pa yata nagtahi-tahi iyong istorya nila sa media so he came back to me again noong gabi. Sabi niya noong gabi: "Papirmahan mo ito sa kapatid mo."
Ayaw ng ate ko. Sabi ng ate ko: "Hindi ako umabot ng 70 anyos para ngayon ko pa sirain ang pangalan ko."
Sabi ko sa ate ko: "Pirmahan mo na para makaalis na sila." So umalis na sila after my sister signed.
Press conference
Noong gabing iyon binisita din ako ni (former DENR secretary Michael) Mike Defensor. Magkaibigan kami ni Mike.
Binisita ako ni Mike at mayroon yata akong nakalimutan, noong nandoon po si Col. Mascariñas tinawagan niya ako. Gusto akong makausap ni [PNP chief] Gen. [Avelino] Razon. Nakikita ko na hirap na hirap si Gen. Razon. Sabi ko: "General, pasensiya na kayo, pati kayo nadadamay sa akin."
Kasi nakikita ko na nag-aano siya sa media. He was forced to tell a lie. I know he is a good man. Napipilitan pa siyang magsinungaling.
Noong pumunta si Mike noong gabi na iyon, sabi sa akin ni Mike: "Pare, this thing has grown way out of proportion na ito." Sabi ko hirap na ako dito. Sinabi ko naman sa inyo mula't sapul pa na ayaw kong ma-involve diyan.
Sabi niya: "Di bale, pare. Gagawan natin ng paraan yan." Sabi niya: "Pwede ka bang tumawag ka na ngayon ng media, either si Mike Enriquez at isang babaeng broadcaster na hindi ko na matandaan. Tumawag ka na. Just make a statement na hindi ka kinidnap at wala ka naman talagang alam dito."
Sabi ko: "Mike, ayaw ko ng gumawa ng...dadagdag pa ako sa gulo. Pwede bang hindi na ako magsasalita?"
And he was so gracious. Sabi nga ni Mike: "O ito panggastos-gastos."
So kaibigan ko po yon si Mike tapos sabi niya: "Pwede ba bukas mag-press conference ka na?" Iyong press conference na iyon ay idea po ni Mike iyon.
Sabi ko nga kay Mike: "Lahat naman ng inuutos niyo sa akin sinusunod ko kaya lang sabog ng sabog. Sabi niyo umalis ako pumunta ng Hong Kong dahil tapos na ito closure report na hindi pinaaresto ako kesa maayos lalong lumala pinaaresto ako. Sabi ni Secretary Atienza umuwi ako sinunod ko nagkagulo pa din. Wala kayong timon 'ka ko."
Sabi niya: Sabihin mo na hindi ka kinidnap. So pagpasok OK, sabi ko: "Mike, ang hirap na nito."
So pagbalik ko sa kuwarto ko, kinuwento ko sa asawa ko yung ano.
Tumawag pa nga si Secretary Neri: Sabi niya: "Jun?" Sabi ko: "Rom, hirap na hirap na ako sa kalagayan ko. Marami na akong problema sa labas. On the domestic front nagkaka-problema na ako kasi ang asawa ko is a wreck already kung wala ako. Natatakot na kasi. Di alam kung saan ako dadalhin."
Sa domestic front 'ka ko mas mahirap because I'm the only one who has to work on her. Sa external front, marami tayo.
Well, noong gabing iyon pagbalik ko kinuwento ko sa asawa ko na magpi-press conference ako. Sabi ko kay Mike, kayo na ang mag-ayos ng statement.
Sabi ng aking wife, tawagan na natin si Sister. Tinawagan namin si Sister, yung mga kaibigan kong madre. Sinabi ng asawa ko yung predicament namin, kinuwento ko din sa mga brothers at kay bishop yung kinalalagyan namin at tuloy-tuloy na ito and if i do it tuloy-tuloy na. Kasali na ako dito.
Sabi ng mga madre na kausap namin at mga pari: "Jun, wala nang katapusan yan." And after the prayer mag-desisyon ka kung sasama ka na diyan. Irerespeto natin 'yan o you will stick to the light. Medyo tumagos sa puso ko ang sinabi ng pari. We prayed over it. Mga alas dose na po iyon.
Nagdesisyon po ako which really made my wife... I will just go to the Senate na lang. I will submit myself to the Senate. Hindi na ako makikisali sa mga pinapipirmahan sa akin.
So noong gabing iyon after the prayer natatakot na po ang asawa ko kung ano ang mangyayari. Nagdesisyon na po yung mga madre at mga pari para sa ikabubuti ng proteksyon ng buhay mo mag-press conference na tayo.
Sabi namin, "Susmaryosep, 12:30 na po yata 'yon o ala una. May tao bang pupunta sa atin?" Sabi niya: "Hayaan mo na. Basta on record lang na sinabi mo na ang gusto mo kasi baka doon sa baba 'yong mga pulis nandoon pa."
So 'yon po, kaya ako nag-press conference kahapon na na-desisyon na I will just stick to the truth and submit myself to the Senate kaya ako nandito.

Moderate grid Says Rodolfo Jun Lozada

Jun, you moderate their greed."

This order from former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri to then-technical consultant Rodolfo "Jun Lozada Jr. poses questions on who among the personalities involved in the scrapped national broadband network (NBN) project may have wittingly or unwittingly dipped his hands into the mess.Lozada’s recollection of Neri's statement, delivered at Thursday’s press briefing at the La Salle Greenhills high school in Mandaluyong City, showed that even the government officials involved in the planning stage of the controversial project were aware and "tolerated" the alleged anomalies.The list of characters include former elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr., businessman Joey de Venecia III, Neri, First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo and even Lozada himself."So I told the Secretary about it, si Secretary Neri and his instruction to me was very clear. He said, 'Jun, you moderate their greed.' I was naive to accept that order," Lozada said, referring to its cause -- Abalos's proposal to have a $130-million commission out of the original $262-million project.Lozada's statement corroborated de Venecia’s claim that Abalos and Mr. Arroyo were involved in brokering the multi-million dollar contract that ballooned to $329 million.He said that at that time, Abalos was already worried about losing his commission.Neri, however, said Lozada must have misinterpreted his instructions. "I must have used colorful language. When I say that it means ‘look for ways to reduce the project cost' which is really part of our normal job at NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority)."Loan or no loanLozada said his troubles started when he, following instructions from Neri and supposedly from President Arroyo, insisted that project be implemented through BOT (build-operate-transfer) and not through a loan package separate from the CyberEducation project.This reportedly displeased Abalos who called up Mr. Arroyo to inform him of the consultant's reluctance to secure a loan for the project.Lozada said it was Abalos himself who claimed that he was talking to Mr. Arroyo. Lozada, however, admitted he did not hear the voice on the other end."But the following day, true enough a letter from the Chinese ambassador came. If you can check I think sometime in December, a letter addressed to the government came in from the Chinese ambassador saying that there is now money available for loan for the NBN project independent of the CyberEducation project," Lozada said."It’s because the loan for CyberEd has been agreed on already. So now, there’s another loan.""This project for me is just one transactional example of a dysfunctional government procurement, like a systemic dysfunction of how we procure projects," an emotional Lozada said at the briefing.""There are others that have escaped scrutiny, but the system is the same," Lozada said.Lozada was ordered to appear before the Senate last week to testify on the deal with NBN contractor ZTE Corp., but first left for Hong Kong and then was picked up by armed men at the airport when he returned on Tuesday night.Lozada resurfaced in the early hours of Thursday morning at a news conference, saying that he was in the custody of policemen since his return on Tuesday.He then backed up allegations, previously aired by other witnesses in a Senate inquiry, implicating Abalos in a multi-million dollar kickbacks scandal over the deal with ZTE to supply a broadband network to link government agencies.The name of Mr. Arroyo, the President's husband and a golfing buddy of Abalos, also cropped up in his statement.Mr. Arroyo and Abalos denied any wrongdoing.

Filipinos in Dubai are in for a treat as Philippine boxing idol Manny "The Pacman" Pacquiao's March 15 rematch with WBC super featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez will be aired by ABS-CBN Middle East through The Filipino Channel (TFC).ABS-CBN Middle East managing director Edgardo Garcia and Top Rank president Todd DuBoef signed a television license agreement granting ABS-CBN Middle East the exclusive rights to air all professional fights promoted by Top Rank."We're just hapy to be able to bring Manny Pacquio's forthcoming fights in the region," Garcia said after the contract signing."Top Rank produces very world class boxing matches, and to be able to bring all of these is really an honor and privilege."DuBoef said: "Actually it's a major area of sports, it's a major area of boxing... and this is going to be more premiere with great partnership between Top Rank and ABS-CBN Middle East."Pacquiao failed to snatch Marquez's belt in their 2004 fight in Las Vegas after judges decided to declare the match a draw.Other big fights that will be promoted by Top Rank this year will also be aired in Dubai through the TFC.DuBoef also hinted of arranging for a major fight in Dubai.“All the biggest events in the world are coming to Dubai, so why not have a great title fight here? Why not have a big boxing event that would be of world magnitude like everything else," he said.

Angel Locsin wins Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards 2007.

Nickelodeon 20th milestone anniversary Kid’s Choice Awards 2007: The grandest preview party ever! The carpet was orange. The stars and stunts were big. The entertainment outrageous. And undoubtedly, all Nicksters “freed their mind” and had the greatest SLIME of their lives!It was an ‘orange-letter day’ for all Nicksters who celebrated their power to choose, to let it all out and hailed Angel Locsin as this year’s “Pinoy Wannabe Awardee” during the recently concluded Nickelodeon’s 20th Kids’ Choice Awards (KCA) Preview Party. But aside from the record-breaking 42,000 kids who voted, Aliw Theater was jam-packed with a total of 2,600 kids and kids at heart who—together with the biggest stars, biggest stunts, the most outrageous oddballs and larger-than-life entertainment—rejoiced in what was considered the grandest, slimiest mess-fest in all of KCA preview party history!Hosts Sam Concepcion (last year’s Pinoy Wannabe Awardee), the comical and klutzy Nickie plus the Parkour and hiphop dancersled the slime-packed preview party starting with a retrospection of past KCA hosts, Wannabes, slimed artists, highlights and taking kids’ votes seriously through the years.Pinoy Wannabe nominees John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin sent in greetings while Makisig Morales gave a super performance (with his group Mak and the Dudes ).Christian Bautista, who proudly showed off his SpongeBob necktie, rendered his latest single. Imago’s spirited performance of their hit single “Taralets!” got the audience groovin’. No one made the Nicksters more animated to stand up, “pound the hammer, drill the floor and shoot the crane” than the loveable Dora The Explorer who helped announce this year’s Pinoy Wannabe winner, Angel Locsin.Though Makisig Morales didn’t bag the blimp, kids still considered him their hero when he agreed to sit down the humongous slime machine and got slimed silly…all in the name of Nickelodeon tradition of messy fun!The celebration, which ended with a fountain of fireworks and confetti burst, was so far biggest, slimiest and most outrageous get-together in Philippine KCA history!