CHIZ SAYS LOZADA, DE VENECIA SHOULD NOT FACE RAPS
OVER NBN-ZTE DEAL

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said whistleblowers Jun Lozada and Jose de Venecia should not face raps in connection with the US$329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China's ZTE Corp.

"They both did a heroic act and we might be discouraging whistleblowers if they are included in the complaint," he said.

Lozada testified before the Senate that the project was overpriced and claimed that resigned Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos could have received kickbacks from the aborted project.

De Venecia, on the other hand, told the Senate that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo told him to back off from the broadband deal.

At the same time, Escudero dared the Ombudsman to act without delay on the Senate recommendations to indite President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and 11 others accused of conspiring to defraud the government in the aborted deal.

"This is an opportune time for Ombudsman Gutierrez to show where her loyalty lies. Otherwise the next administration should make every effort to remove her from office for dereliction of duty," he said.

In its report, the Senate joint committee which investigated the scandal has called for the impeachment of President Arroyo, and the prosecution of her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and 10 others, including Venecia and Lozada.

The Ombudsman had earlier cleared President Arroyo citing her immunity from suit.