Neri to testify in case vs Arroyo

Former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri will appear on Thursday before the Sandiganbayan to testify for the government in the graft case against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the botched $329-million national broadband network contract with China’s ZTE Corp.

Neri, who was the director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), received a subpoena from the antigraft court’s 4th Division to testify in the case against Arroyo who is accused of using her power as the President at the time to lobby for the contract’s approval.

The Sandiganbayan has overruled the three grounds that Neri raised in previous motions seeking the recall of the subpoena issued to him by the court.—Cynthia D. Balana