SURPRISE WITNESS ABOUT-FACED

In a Pinoy Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, a Broadband Network Project deal was lodged for investigation in aid of legislation. The complaint surfaced when Mr. Joel de Nagbasa (son of Pinoy House Speaker) lost in a bidding to ZTAE Corp., declaring that Comelec Amalas (a high government official) rigged the bidding and pocketed $130 million payoff from a $329 million cancelled contract. It was also alleged that the Pinoy President was involved, hence, the heightened popularity of the case. De Nagbasa named other government officials but lack of witness and insufficient evidence impeded the snail paced case. Comelec Amalas resigned his post for delicadeza and threatened to file libel charges against De Nagbasa. The senate, being dominated by oppositionist and longing to discredit and oust a duly elected president, together with religious and leftist sector; sought all means to keep the issue alive. They found a hysterical witness, Jun Lezado, claiming that he was bribed and kidnapped by government agents to prevent him from testifying; and bolstered the case. They even paraded him together with nuns and priests in what they called an interfaith rally that sent the Pinoy stock market reeling in the basement. The hearing continued and Senator Wannabeepres, a leading critic and defeated presidential candidate, sought another witness. He found Engineer Leo Miguel, a consultant of ZTAE corp. He boasted that Leo was his surprise witness -although there was a committee rule that would-be witness should submit a sworn statement of his testimony to the committee three days prior to his appearance and to protect him from self-incrimination in the event the case is submitted to the judicial court, as reminded by Senator Damatan-- that will supply the missing link and corroborate with the statements of other witness in establishing the faulty bidding. Wannabeepres met Miguel four times before the scheduled hearing, assuring him of support and protection -they being acquainted when Miguel helped him acquired Internet services for Pinoy National Police from a telephone company when Wannabeepres was the Chief of PNP-- by testifying and penned down Amalas and the president. At the hearing, Dante Bukol(an assistant of Miguel) through interrogation of Senator Johnny-no-star, testified that Miguel is a member of "Patong Group ++" who were responsible in pegging the deal. With this information, Miguel was further made a star witness on the case and opposition audience were too excited to hear from him. Wannabeepres initiated the questioning and on some occasion asking Miguel to confirm the insinuations which Miguel obligingly adhered to their concocted legerdemain. Wannabeepres again asked Miguel if he had the knowledge that Amalas pocketed the $30 million payoff and $100 million to the president's husband as bribe-money to seal the contract. Miguel replied: "I am not aware, not within my coverage because I'm a technical person... anything outside... I don't know." Wannabeepres was electrified and frustrated. He was the one surprised by his surprise witness. As a consequence, they threatened Miguel with a contempt of court and detention in the Pinoy Senate Hall.