DOTC executive hurt in Pasig ambush

MANILA, Philippines – A top official of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) was wounded in an ambush staged in broad daylight by five armed men in Pasig City yesterday.

Police said Assistant Secretary Elmer Soneja of the DOTC’s planning and project development sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the left shoulder. He was listed in stable condition at the Medical City in Pasig City.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales ordered a Special Investigating Task Group (SITG) to identify the gunmen behind the ambush.

Rosales added DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza has offered a P1-million reward for any information leading to the arrest of the gunmen.

Soneja was driving his Toyota Hi-Lux pickup truck with his security escort when they were caught in a traffic jam at the corner of Ortigas Ave. Extension and De Castro St. in Barangay Sta. Lucia.

Police said two men armed with automatic weapons approached the vehicle and opened fire, wounding Soneja.

Witnesses said the two gunmen escaped on a motorcycle. Three other men, who acted as lookouts, fled on a tricycle.

Rosales said they are still determining the possible motive of the ambush.

“The victim is a soft-spoken and a low-key guy. I talked to him and he himself has no inkling who could be after his head,” Rosales said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa tasked Rosales to coordinate their investigation with Task Force EGO into the slay try on the DOTC official.

“I have alerted Task Group EGO, which will lead the investigation, in coordination with the NCRPO territorial unit. We should identify the suspects behind this incident. We will be putting up reward for any information for the immediate solution of this case,” Verzosa said.

Investigators learned Soneja is the chairman of the DOTC’s bids and awards committee that handled the evaluation of the controversial $329-million national broadband network (NBN) project.

Before a Senate hearing last year, Soneja testified that there was nothing irregular in the NBN contract that was awarded to China’s ZTE Corp.

The NBN deal stirred a scandal after former government consultant Rodolfo Lozada Jr. testified before the Senate accusing First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and former elections chief Benjamin Abalos of getting kickbacks to secure the contract with ZTE.

Lozada confirmed the earlier revelations of businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, son and namesake of Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr.

Joey, whose firm lost to ZTE in the NBN bid, said the First Gentleman and Abalos brokered the contract for the Chinese telecommunications firm.

Mr. Arroyo denied the allegations while Abalos quit after the scandal broke out last year.

The scandal forced President Arroyo to cancel the NBN contract with the ZTE.

De Venecia issued a statement yesterday saying the ambush on Soneja could be connected to the ZTE-NBN scandal.

“Asec. Soneja is one of the two senior government officials most knowledgeable about the case,” De Venecia said.

He said Soneja, as chairman of the bid and awards committee that evaluated the NBN project, reports directly to Secretary Mendoza.

“This ambush was obviously done by his enemies, or people who wish to silence him on the ZTE-NBN scandal. When he gets well, I hope Mr. Soneja divulges all he knows about the deal,” De Venecia said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rainier Allan Ronda