Joey de Venecia vows to pin down Abalos

MANILA, Philippines - Businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, whistle-blower in the aborted national broadband network (NBN) deal with ZTE Corp. of China, said former elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr. and Social Security System president Romulo Neri “will not be able to demolish” the testimony he is set to present before the Sandiganbayan.

De Venecia said he expected fellow whistle-blowers Dante Madriaga and former Philippine Forest Corp. president Rodolfo Lozada Jr. to corroborate his testimony.

“Since I’m the whistle-blower, I think a lot of time would be spent on me,” he said in anticipation of a long legal battle between the Office of the Ombudsman and lawyers representing the respondents.

Neri is expected to be arraigned before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division chaired by Associate Justice Roland Jurado on Friday, while Abalos’ arraignment before the Fourth Division chaired by Associate Justice Gregory Ong is set on July 20.

De Venecia and Lozada have accused Abalos of brokering for ZTE Corp. and of attempting to bribe Neri. The latter was then head of the National Economic and Development Authority, whose endorsement was needed before the $329-million contract could take off.

Neri admitted the bribe attempt but refused to divulge details before a Senate committee investigating the case, citing executive privilege.

De Venecia said that while he believes there is a strong case against the two, a strong and skillful prosecutor might be needed for the case to reach a favorable conclusion.

“If they assign a competent prosecutor, that would be the next step,” he said.

“My main concern is that the prosecutor should be malakas, masigasig, magaling (strong, zealous, competent) and should make sure that the two would be convicted, or at least Abalos,” De Venecia said.

Special Prosecutor Wendell Barreras-Sulit, for her part, expressed confidence in the government lawyers’ handling of the case.

“We need credible witnesses to prove our case. Our prosecutors will fight for truth and justice, that I can assure you,” she told The STAR.

Prosecutors Rabrendanath Uy and Ireneo Paldeng have been tasked to handle the case against Abalos while John Turalba and Victor Pascual have been assigned to Neri’s case.

De Venecia said his life remains in danger despite the assumption into office of President Aquino.

“It was my hope that after the elections and we have a new president, my security problem would disappear. But now I was advised that I have to continue with my security, which I pay for, because I don’t take security from the government because you don’t know if they are just watching you,” he said.

“Because these people now are not in power, they might become desperate, when they become desperate, they might do something to me,” De Venecia said.