Neri says 'For FG' marginal note came from Chinese embassy

Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri said that he did not furnish First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo a copy of the letter sent to the Chinese embassy regarding the National Broadband Network and Cyber Education projects, GMA's Flash Report said on Wednesday. The television report quoted Neri as saying he did not write the marginal note "copy for FG" to the letter. The report said that Neri believes it was someone from the Chinese embassy who wrote it. He said he has no reason to give the Mr Arroyo a copy of the letter. Neri also added the letter is not a new issue as Senator Panfilo Lacson had already discussed it during the former socio-economic planning secretary's appearance before the Senate last year. His remarks came after the Senate hearing on Tuesday where opposition Senator Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal presented a letter sent by Neri, who was then the director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), to the Chinese Embassy in Manila. In it, Neri thanked then Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun for a March 26 letter detailing the Chinese government’s position on the Cyber Education and NBN projects. Madrigal expressed concern that the "FG" being referred to in the letter could be the First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo. She also said the Chinese official who wrote the "For FG" should be subpoenaed so that the Senate could identity the "FG" being referred to. For his part, Mr Arroyo's counsel, lawyer Ruy Rondain earlier denied that the First Gentleman was given a copy of the letter. He reiterated that Mr Arroyo has nothing to do with the NBN-ZTE deal. On Tuesday, a new witness Dante Madriaga - claiming to be a former consultant of China's ZTE Corp. - linked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband to the controversial contract. - GMANews.TV