Following the recommendation of the Office of the Ombudsman to file graft charges and suspend Social Security System (SSS) president and chief executive officer Romulo Neri on the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN)-ZTE deal, Malacañang advised Neri on Saturday to stick to the truth even as it warned that the Ombudsman’s decision may be used by the opposition in next year’s elections.

Asked for his advice to Neri over DZRB on Saturday, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said: “Patuloy na manindigan sa katotohanan (Continue to stick to the truth).”

Remonde said the opposition is likely to use the latest development on the NBN-ZTE broadband deal issue in the May, 2010 elections.

Remonde said despite the ordered suspension on Neri, the SSS chief still has recourse as he can file a motion for reconsideration.

“We abide by the decision of our courts… but when the order becomes final and executory, we will abide by the decision of the court,” Remonde said.

The Press Secretary also disclosed that as of now, Malacañang still has not decided on who will replace Neri as SSS chief.

Meanwhile, Remonde said the statement of Senator Mar Roxas that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo should also be charged has “no basis,” reiterating that all should “abide by the decision of the court.”

He also said that former House Speaker Jose de Venecia’s call to have the First Gentleman be investigated should be left to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“Well, opinion yan ni JdV, let’s leave that to the Blue Ribbon Committee,” Remonde said.

According to Remonde, the alleged “back-off” remark by Mr. Arroyo to Joey de Venecia, the son of the former House speaker, appeared to be a warning to the younger De Venecia against taking part in government transactions.

The Office of the Ombudsman late Thursday recommended the filing of graft charges against Neri and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos on the failed $329.4-million ZTE-NBN broadband deal between the government and China’s ZTE Corp.

Both President Arroyo and the First Gentleman were cleared of the graft charges.

Meanwhile, several congressmen and local government officials deplored the Senate move to revive the NBN-ZTE issue, calling it a “futile exercise and waste of time.’’

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee headed by Sen. Richard Gordon has set for Tuesday the reopening of the investigation on the botched NBN-ZTE project.

Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr. expressed surprise why a dead issue that should have long been resolved would be resurrected at this time when the country is facing more serious problems on the economy arising from global recession.

He said previous hearings on the issue already served their purpose by determining the truth based on several witnesses’ testimonies. “We have had enough of these hearings and what the public is anxious about is for the Senate committee to come up with its long overdue report,’’ he said.

Barzaga wondered why such a report had been withheld when earlier Gordon already announced that his draft committee report was ready for perusal by the committee members.
 
For his part, Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay raised doubts as to the true intent of the new Senate hearing on the NBN-ZTE issue, questioning its timing and asking why an exposè that had long been relegated to the background suddenly appeared ahead of next year’s elections.

Pichay said conducting further hearings on the issue would result to nothing except perhaps the political mileage benefiting only the complainants led by Joey de Venecia and Jun Lozada who are both angling for a Senate seat. (Madel Sabater)