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For the past 21 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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Key witness implicates First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, Ben Abalos, in ZTE–NBN scandal
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MANILA -- A “missing” key witness in the national broadband network (NBN) controversy has surfaced and detailed his recollections on the now nullified government contract with China’s ZTE Corp. in a televised press conference.
Seated with bishops and nuns at the La Salle Greenhills gym in Mandaluyong City, in Metro Manila, Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. said narrated chronically his experiences in the preparations of the NBN project with China’s ZTE Corp., including a direct threat made by the now-resigned elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and the involvement of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
Reading from a prepared text, Lozada said his involvement in the NBN project began when Romulo Neri, the secretary of economic planning at the time, introduced him to Abalos at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club in October 2006.He said also present were ZTE vice president Yu Yong, ZTE director Fan Yang along with certain Philippine officials and another NBN project proponent, Jose “Joey” de Venecia III.
He said the National Economic and Development Authority, which Neri headed at the time had him as a project consultant, received its first copy of the ZTE proposal sometime in November 2006.
He said the first item he noticed that the financial projections were based on data from the Abante Tonite tabloid on how much the government was spending on telecommunications. He said he found it funny that the financials were based on data from a tabloid, and that he subsequently told ZTE representatives to improve their project presentation.
Lozada also said he encouraged Joey de Venecia, son and namesake of the erstwhile House Speaker, as representative of NBN project proponent Amsterdam Holdings Inc., to pursue his project development. He said Neri told him to reconcile ZTE’s and Joey’s proposals.
He said that as Abalos’ “objective” was to get a loan for the project, he proposed that De Venecia III be the main proponent -- as the project was to be done on a build-operate transfer (BOT) arrangement -- and Abalos be the supplier.
Trouble starts
Lozada said “the trouble started when Abalos wanted to protect” his $130-million “commission.”
He said he told Abalos the amount was too big.
“Sabi ko, bubukol po ito.” [“It’s going to show.”]
He said Joey de Venecia’s “reaction was ballistic.”
He said the project cost was $262 million, and so there was the question of where De Venecia could get Abalos’ $130 million.
He also said the Chinese were alarmed, because “advances had already been given to Abalos.”
Lozada said Abalos then “started thinking of doing the project on his own.”
“I told him that Neri said” -- because GMA [President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] had told him – “that the project was to be done on a BOT arrangement.”
Lozada also recalled a phone call Abalos had with First Gentleman Arroyo in which he heard Abalos say, “Kung ganyan kayo kausap, kalimutan na lang ang lahat ng usapan natin.” [“If that’s the way you make deals, forget everything we have agreed on.”]
Lozada narrated an early-December 2006 meeting in which First Gentleman Arroyo told Abalos, “Pare, okay na kami ni Joey.” [“Buddy, Joey and I are okay now.”]
He also said the ZTE representatives were “demanding from Abalos,” and wanted an “a la NorthRail agreement.”
He said he did not know what that meant.
Abalos’ threat
Lozada said that on Jan. 18, 2007 -- “the day I quit the project” -- Abalos called him up and asked, “Alam ba ni Neri ang ginagawa mo? … Alam mo ba na malapit ako sa military?” [“Does Neri know what you are doing? … Do you know that I am close to the military?”]
He said Abalos then started cussing. “… Mga hayop kayo, wina-walanghiya ‘nyo ako.”
He said Abalos told him, “Huwag ka magpapakita sa akin sa Wack-Wack o ipapapatay kita.” [“Don’t let me see you at Wack-Wack or I will have you killed.”]
Abalos was president of the Wack-Wack club at the time.
Lozada said at the press conference, “I don’t think this project is worth risking my life for.”
Lozada went on to recall that on Feb. 7, 2007, an executive order was issued by the Office of the President assigning the NBN project to the Department of Transportation and Communications with a project cost of $329 million.
“When the project started, the project cost was $262 million,” he said. “When it was approved, the project cost was already $329 million ... I am not imputing anything.”
He said the matter showed what he called “dysfunctional government procurement.” He said it was “systemic… about how we procure projects.”
Lozada emphasized, “I don’t want to speak along party lines. I don’t want this to be taken as something partisan.”
Lozada tearfully finished reading from the prepared text: “Ang salitang Pilipino ay hindi lang tungkol sa isang pamilya. Ang salitang Pilipino ay tungkol sa isang bansa. … And sometimes it is worth taking a risk para sa ating bansa.” [“The word Filipino is not about a family. The word Filipino is about a country. …And sometimes it worth taking a risk for our country.”]
Resignation
Lozada said at the press conference that he was resigning as president of the government- owned Philippine Forest Corp.
At the start of the press conference, Lozada read an opening statement, “Maraming katanungan ang taong bayan tungkol sa proyektong ito [ZTE-NBN]. Mabigat sa aking damdamin at isipan itong gagawin ko… para magkaliwanag na ang isipan ng bayan tungkol dito. …Walang malisya kanino man.” [“There are many questions in the mind of the public about this project [ZTE-NBN]. It is with a heavy heart and mind that I will do this … to give light to the public’s mind about this. … This is without malice toward no one.”]
Lozada also said his apparent disappearance upon his arrival at the Manila international airport Tuesday after noon was a result of “just miscommunication between the groups that were supposed to pick me up.”
He said “we had a good drive around the city” and took the Luzon South Expressway, and went to Calamba City in Laguna province. He said he was later “brought back to my family.”
At the end of the press conference, Lozada said, “I want to be out of this situation. Believe me I do not want any other Filipino to be in my situation right now.
He also said, “I don’t want to go to the Senate. I don’t want to go there and be part of a political exercise … I may not be able to lie. I’m not a good liar. …The decision was to send me out of the country … I might say something that they would not like …the people who are concerned… ‘yung mga masasaktan ‘pag naipit si FG’ [First Gentleman].”
Lozada resigns
Now that he has bared all, Lozada said that will have to resign from his government post.
"After this I guess I have to resign na," said Lozada.
"I like my job but after what I did now, I guess it’s just right for me to put on record that I am now resigning from my government position as president and CEO of the Philippine Forest Corp.," he said.
Lozada's eyes were puffy from fatigue and lack of sleep as he said he was already leaving the government-run corporation. He described it as a "a sad day" because the PFC is doing well.
Lozada’s safety
Senator Alan Cayetano, chairman of the Senate “blue ribbon” public accountability committee that is investigating the ZTE-NBN deal, said that they would ensure Lozada’s safety and security after the clergy agreed to turn him over to the custody of the Senate sergeant at arms.
Cayetano said they would consider Lozada’s physical and mental condition before scheduling a resumption of the Senate hearing on the ZTE-NBN deal.
Lozada earlier said he had been under undue stress since he left for Hong Kong and upon his arrival Tuesday and was already very tired over the ordeal.
After the press conference, Lozada was taken into the custody of the Senate.
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CHICAGO – Unopposed Filipino American Attorney Aurora Abella Austriaco collected 686 votes among Democratic voters from seven precincts in the 65th district for representative of the Illinois General Assembly during the Feb. 5th Primary Elections, according to unofficial tally released by the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago.
On the other hand, her rival, incumbent Rep. Rosemary E. Mulligan polled 184 votes from the same number of precincts for the Republican Party.
The district covers the city of Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village and southern Mt. Prospect.
Chinese American Jimmy Lee lost by coming in third by getting 1,468 or 19 percent of the total votes in the three-way race for the right to represent the Republican Party in the 11th congressional district in Illinois that was won by New Lennox Mayor Timothy A. Baldermann, who got 4,774 votes or 61.78 percent.
Another New Lennox resident Terry Heenan got 1,485 votes or 19.22% of the votes, beating Lee by 17 votes, according to the website of the La Salle county board.
Baldermann will be facing unopposed Democratic candidate incumbent State Senator Deborah Halvorson in the November general elections for the open seat being vacated by retiring incumbent U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, a Republican. Halvorson garnered 10,941 votes.
The district covers La Salle, Grundy and Kankakee Counties, as well as parts of Will, McLean, Livingston, Woodford and Bureau Counties south of Chicago.
Chicago Alderman Bernard L. Stone, who beat Filipino American Naisy Dolar in the aldermanic elections last April, lost as the Democratic Ward committeeman for the 50th ward to Ira I. Silverstein by posting 2,944 votes or 32.48 against Silverstein’s 5,927 votes or 67.51% of the votes.
In the run-up before the Primary elections, Stone’s ward superintendent, Anish Eapen, was accused of using his badge and business cards to manipulate absentee voters in two hotly contested elections last year when Stone beat Dolar by polling 5,965 votes or 52.9 percent against Dolar’s 5,303 votes or 47.1 percent, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Eapen, 37, and Armando Ramos, 34, appeared together in bond court last week on charges of absentee ballot violations and mutilation of election materials.
Lynn McCarthy, Cook County assistant state's attorney, said Eapen misled voters over who could vote via absentee ballot. He also collected ballots from voters' homes, sat in the same room with voters as they voted and mailed the ballots for them, McCarthy said.
Bond was set at $50,000 for Eapen and $40,000 for Ramos. It was not yet known if the absentee voting irregularities involving Eapen and Ramos would have an effect on the aldermanic elections between the 79-year-old Stone and the 34-year-old Dolar last year.
Filipino American real estate lawyer Aurora Abella- Austriaco, a political newcomer, will be up against a 15-year incumbent Representative Mulligan, a paralegal by profession.
According to the December, 2007 news item written by Anong Santos, publisher- editor of the Chicago-based Pinoy Monthly, “Austriaco … wants to champion issues such as education, crime prevention, jobs and health care, and children’s issues that affect her neighbors in her district. The State’s funding formula for local school needs to be reevaluated to address the financial woes experienced by local districts despite high property taxes paid by Cook County homeowners.
“Concerned with increased drug among adolescents, Austriaco said, once elected, she will introduce or support legislation that cracks down meth dealers while increase funding for police protection equipment. … I will work to provide incentive for businesses to provide healthcare for their employees and make sure middle class families are able to access to healthcare they need.
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Barbie Lane Lozano Adolph and her lawyer Ian Hinonangan
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NEWARK– On January 24, 2008, in Newark, New Jersey, a Filipina woman’s life changed. That day, Barbie Lane Lozano Adolph, was sworn in as a U.S. citizen at-birth. - A rare form of naturalization.
Unlike naturalization certificates, which issues U.S. citizenship on the day permanent residents are sworn in, Ms. Adolph was issued citizenship at-birth, which means that as of the day she was born twenty six years ago she was already an American citizen.
Her father, Herbert R. Adolph, now deceased, fathered Ms. Lozano while he was stationed in the Philippines as a U.S. Marine more than twenty-five years ago. Fortunately, he acknowledged paternity despite not being married to Ms. Lozano’s Filipina mother. It was this acknowledgement that helped Ms. Lozano to secure her at-birth U.S. citizenship.
While Ms. Lozano’s previous application to the USCIS (formerly INS) often led her in endless bureaucratic hurdles, it was only through Atty. Ian F. Hinonangan, Esq., of Jersey City, that Ms. Lozano was finally able to successfully establish that she is entitled to her American citizenship as the daughter of an American Marine.
For other Filipinos who are children of U.S. military personnel and are either in the U.S., the Philippines, or other parts of the world, Ms. Lozano’s story gives your case hope. So long as you can establish, among others, that your U.S. citizen parent (whether they are still alive or now deceased) has previously acknowledged parentage of you, you can claim your right to U.S. citizenship by virtue of being the child of a U.S. citizen.
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