Neri won’t testify vs GMA

From: gmanews.tv

Former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Romulo Neri does not want to testify against his erstwhile boss, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in a graft case she is facing in connection with the NBN-ZTE controversy.
 
In a motion, Neri invoked his constitutional right to remain silent on the ground that he was named defendant in a separate graft case also involving the allegedly anomalous NBN-ZTE deal.

Through his lawyer Paul Lentejas, Neri asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to quash the subpoena requiring him to appear before the anti-graft court on Oct. 1 and 2, to testify as a prosecution witness.

Lentejas said Neri cannot be compelled to testify against Arroyo as his case is related with her case.  “Whatever testimony which movant may give in this case could and would be easily used by the prosecution against [him].” 

The case concerns the $329-million National Broadband Network project (NBN) that was awarded to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. in 2007 but was later rescinded by Arroyo after reports of alleged irregularities surfaced

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Prosecutors claimed that as NEDA director general, Neri exhibited “financial or pecuniary interest in the transaction by naming Rodolfo ‘Jun’ Lozada as his emissary or representative in the negotiations for the NBN project.

The argument is the same one earlier used by lawyers of Arroyo to get the court to quash the subpoena for her to testify against Neri.

In a resolution dated Oct. 28, 2010, the anti-graft court ruled hat “her right to remain silent, in any venue, is absolute, and this cannot be taken against her.” ###