Arrest order out for ZTE witnesses Neri, Lozada

The Senate has moved for the arrest of two government officials believed as the key witnesses to the alleged overpricing of the government's National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, told reporters Wednesday afternoon, that his committee had gathered more than enough signatures to have Romulo Neri and Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr arrested. The arrest will compel the two to testify at the hearing on the $329.48-million NBN-ZTE deal. Thirteen senators signed Neri's warrant of arrest, while 16 signed for Lozada's warrant. The Senate only needs nine signatures for each of the warrant to have the two arrested. Neri, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, is former director general of the National Economic Development Authority, which reviewed the NBN project. Lozada, president and chief operating officer of the government-run Philippine Forest Corp., was a consultant of Neri when the later was still socio-economic planning secretary. Lozada was reportedly the one who could attest to the testimony of the Speaker's son and namesake, Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, that the NBN-ZTE deal was marked up by $200 million. He was reportedly present when the deal was being allegedly hatched by Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Benjamin Abalos, chairman of the Commission of Elections, and Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, the husband of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. 16 senators The 16 senators who signed Lozada's warrant are Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal, Rodolfo Biazon, Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, Aquilino Pimentel, Manuel "Mar" Roxas, Richard Gordon, Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr, Jinggoy Estrada, and Francis Pangilinan. Meanwhile the same senators, except for Enrile, Revilla, and Gordon signed Neri's warrant. The three reportedly did not sign the warrant because Neri won't be able to fully testify before the Senate due to executive privilege. Senators Joker Arroyo, Lito Lapid, Edgardo Angara, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Juan Miguel Zubiri, and detained lawmaker Antonio Trillanes IV did not sign either of the warrants, according to Cayetano. Cayetano said the signed warrants were endorsed by Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. The warrants will be transmitted to the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms for execution. Snubs hearing Cayetano said the two won't be treated like criminal suspects, but would only be compelled to participate in the inquiry. He said Neri and Lozada would be brought to the Senate and treated "nicely and comfortably," as long as they answer queries during the hearing. He said the two could still "invoke executive privilege" if they think that they should not respond to the committee's questions. But the senator said "it will be illegal for them" not to answer all questions. Cayetano said that in the case of Lozada, "he could either chose not to go back home or go home and face arrest." The Senate will give protection to Lozada if he decides to go back and testify on the NBN-ZTE deal, according to the senator. Lozada snubbed the Senate hearing on the NBN-ZTE deal and took a flight to Hong Kong, en route to London. Lozada checked in at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Wednesday morning to catch Philippine Airlines flight PR-300 for Hong Kong. His sudden departure on the same day of his scheduled testimony at the upper chamber prompted senators to order his arrest. - GMANews.TV