NBN-ZTE's 'Gang of Four'

A resigned chairman of the Commission on Elections, a cable TV executive, a businessman linked to the “Hello, Garci" controversy, and a retired police general who was a nominee of an alleged pro-Arroyo party-list group composed the so-called “Gang of Four" accused of brokering the allegedly anomalous $329.48-million National Broadband Network project. BENJAMIN ABALOS SR

Benjamin Abalos Sr resigned as chair of the Comelec in October 2007 after an impeachment complaint was filed against him before the House of Representatives. Romulo Neri, former chief of the National Economic Development Authority, accused Abalos of attempting to bribe him in connection with the NBN-ZTE deal. In August 2007, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla alleged that Abalos brokered for the NBN project. Abalos denied brokering for the project, but admitted that he knew some officials in ZTE Corp. He admitted making four trips to China and playing golf there. He also admitted that ZTE officials, whom he said were his golfing buddies, hosted and paid for the trips. Jose “Joey" de Venecia III, alleged that Abalos offered him US$10 million to withdraw his proposal on the NBN project. Abalos was mentioned in the "Hello Garci" tape, which refers to the alleged wiretapped conversations in the alleged vote rigging in the 2004 polls. LEO G. SAN MIGUEL Established Home Cable in 1990, and was its chief operating officer, until the company was bought by the Philippine Long Distance Corporation in 1999. He later on transferred to Asia Cable Communications, a distributor of prime cable programs. San Miguel who hails from Naga City, also served as the Philippine Cable Television Association’s president from 1995 to 1996. He is a radio electronics engineering graduate of Feati University in Manila, who later on took up a computer course at Princeton University in the US. He is former technical adviser of ZTE Corp. for the NBN project. During the March 11, 2008 inquiry at the Senate, San Miguel denied that he had any knowledge in the alleged kickbacks in the NBN project. Sen. Panfilo Lacson claimed San Miguel knew the “flow of bribe money" from China to the Philippines. Whistleblower Rodolfo Noel Lozada also claimed that San Miguel was present in practically all the meetings of Abalos with ZTE executives. De Venecia III also accused San Miguel of being with Abalos when the latter went to Shenzhen, China to allegedly ask ZTE for additional advances. During the March 11 inquiry at the Senate, San Miguel said he made four trips to China in 2006 for the NBN-ZTE deal. RUBEN CESAR C. REYES A wealthy real estate businessman from Mandaluyong City said to be Abalos's golfing buddy. Reyes, who reportedly left for the US in October 2007, was linked to the “Hello, Garci" controversy. His voice was allegedly recorded in the wiretapped “Garci" tapes when he called former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on June 4, 2004. In the June 2004 tapes, the voice presumed to be that of Reyes inquired about an employee of the Comelec who could be used by the opposition against then presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He also allegedly asked Garcillano if he could help party-list groups supported by Mrs Arroyo to get more votes in the May 2004 polls. Reyes, is said to be close to police and military generals from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1972 and 1983. He is also reportedly a friend of the President’s brother, Diosdado “Buboy" Macapagal Jr, an adopted member of PMA class 1972. Senate witness Dante Madriaga, a consultant of San Miguel, claimed Reyes was the “designated recipient" of the alleged $46-million “payoff" from ZTE for the swift approval of the NBN deal. But in a letter to the Senate, Reyes denied Madriaga's claims, saying he wasn't part of alleged anomalies in the NBN-ZTE deal. Reyes is currently in Beijing, China according to his lawyer. QUIRINO D. DELA TORRE Dela Torre, a retired police general is said to be San Miguel’s business partner. He was director of the Philippine National Police Computer Service during the term of Lacson as PNP chief. He belonged to the PMA class of 1972, and retired from the PNP in 2005. Dela Torre was said to be a security adviser of Abalos. Dela Torre also served under former PNP chief Leandro Mendoza, now Transportation and Communications secretary, who signed the NBN-ZTE deal in April 2007. He was one of the nominees of party-list group Alliance of Neo-Conservatives (ANC) in the May 2007 mid-term elections. Election watchdog Kontra-Daya claimed that ANC was one of the more than 30 pro-Arroyo party-list groups that joined the 2007 polls. Undersecretary Gamaliel A. Cordoba, head of the Presidential Appointment Office, was also a nominee of the ANC. - AR Sabangan, GMANews.TV/GMA News Research