Former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. INQUIRER file photo
Former Finance Secretary Margarito Teves on Tuesday testified in the Sandiganbayan that he met twice with former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and several Chinese businessmen in 2006 and 2007, and the canceled national broadband network (NBN) deal was discussed at one of them.
The NBN project was taken up in the second meeting, held at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, and at which former Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza was present. This took place in late 2006 or early 2007.
Prior to that, Teves said, Abalos had sought a meeting with him in 2006 and brought along several Chinese businessmen who were interested in an agriculture-related project in Mindanao. One of the Chinese also attended the Wack Wack gathering later.
When asked, Teves said it was “not usual” for government officials to bring guests for him to meet. He also said he could not recall other public officials who did the same.
The finance secretary in the Arroyo administration was called as a witness in the ongoing graft trial of Abalos, who stands accused of taking an interest in the NBN project which had nothing to do with his duties as Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman. The NBN deal, awarded to China’s ZTE Corp., was later canceled by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid allegations of overpricing and bribery.
In his testimony before the Sandiganbayan antigraft court’s Fourth Division, Teves said he arrived late at the Wack Wack meeting because of a prior engagement, and stayed for only about 10 minutes.
He said the group composed of Abalos, Mendoza and three Chinese businessmen was talking about getting a loan for the project and wanted to know the process of forging agreements. He believed he was invited because as secretary of finance he would have to sign any loan agreement that might come up.
As for the first meeting with Abalos and other Chinese businessmen sometime in 2006, he said Abalos called him up and asked to meet with him.
Teves invited Abalos to his home, and the then Comelec chief arrived with three Chinese businessmen, one of them who would be at the Wack Wack meeting later. Teves was told the businessmen wanted to see him for some Mindanao projects. There was no mention of the NBN project during this meeting.
Sandigan Justice Jose Hernandez asked if government officials usually came to him bringing guests, and Teves replied that it was “not usual.”
Meanwhile, the determination of probable cause in another NBN-related graft case filed against Abalos, Mendoza, former President Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo may have to wait another 20 days.
This after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on Monday asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division for 20 more days to resolve the motions for reconsideration filed by Mendoza and Mike Arroyo in the case.
The OSP’s deadline was March 6, but it said in its manifestation and motion on Tuesday the pleadings were still pending in the Office of the Ombudsman.