MISCEPY

JDV says he is ready to testify vs Arroyo on NBN-ZTE scandal

Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. on Tuesday said that he is back in "fighting form" and ready to testify against President Arroyo in a Senate hearing on the controversial national broadband network deal between the Philippine government and Chinas ZTE Corp.
De Venecia previously said he needed to strengthen himself physically before he goes to the witness stand, yet now, he said that he is already feeling better.
"My health has improved significantly," de Venecia said. The former Speaker underwent a medical check-up in Singapore after he fainted from flu in his trips to Qatar and Russia.
De Venecia said he would consult with his lawyers when the Senateā€˜s investigation on the NBN-ZTE deal resumes. He also added that he is waiting for the Senate to invite him in the hearing so he could disclose all the anomalies he knows the Arroyo administration was involved in.
"If they invite me, I will be there," de Venecia said.
Back from his trip abroad where he attended conferences in France and Paraguay, de Venecia said that Arroyo's image in the international community has become more unfavorable.
"The negatives far outweigh the positives. Nobody abroad is saying that the administration is well-managed, so she has to work double time. If she will only cleanse her Cabinet," the former Speaker added.
He also mentioned that the surveys which have given a negative impression on Arroyos government also reflect her image in the international community.
Moreover, De Venecia challenged Arroyo to reveal, in her State of the Nation Address on July 28, the real situation of the Philippines amidst the skyrocketing prices of oil, rice, and other commodities, and the dwindling of dollar reserves in the country.
He added that Arroyo should lay down solutions, aside from the government subsidies it is handing down to the poor. He said that he will be present in the Presidents SONA.
De Venecia also criticized Arroyos negligence for finishing her 10-day visit in the United States, while typhoon Frank was wreaking havoc in the Philippines.
"She should have finished her business in the US quickly and gone straight home. She could have done both," he said.
In his trip abroad, de Venecia said he made a proposal to form an Asian response mechanism, involving countries in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, to respond to calamities like typhoons and floods.
He said that the response team is significant because the Philippines is expected to face more typhoons this year. With a report from Paul Henson, ABs-CBN News