San Miguel denies ‘direct knowledge’ of NBN kickbacks
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:20:00 03/11/2008
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 4) Leo San Miguel, Senator Panfilo Lacson's surprise witness, has denied having "direct knowledge" of the alleged kickbacks and advances in the national broadband network contract.
In his testimony at the resumption the Senate inquiry into the allegedly tainted NBN agreement with China’s ZTE Corp., San Miguel said he was purely a technical person and had not been tasked with anything else. He said he did not even coordinate with government agencies.
He said that as ZTE technical consultant, the unwritten agreement between him and the company was that he would be paid for "out of pocket expenses" and some $1.6 million, or a success fee of one-half of one percent of the gross of the $329-million contract.
He said he had been reimbursed from P3 million to P4 million.
San Miguel insisted that he was simply technical adviser of ZTE and that his role was confined to advising on technical issues.
Asked about his knowledge on advances and kickbacks, San Miguel said, “I am not aware whatsoever...I reiterate that to be proficient as engineer, I will not accept a job if it requires [things] not within my coverage [and] if I am not capable.”
San Miguel also belied portions of the testimonies Jose De Venecia III, son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.; Rodolfo Noel Lozada, a government consultant on the NBN; and Dante Madriaga, who has claimed to be a consultant for the ZTE Corp.
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