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.