Lacson: San Miguel on phone with 'Ma'am' before hearing
Palace lawyer talked to witness as ‘friend’
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:28:00 03/12/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Leo San Miguel, the Senate witness tagged a member of the so-called “Greedy Group,” was on the phone with a “Ma'am” during the lunch break of Tuesday's hearing into the national broadband network (NBBN) scandal, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson accused Malacañang of getting to San Miguel through lawyer Marcelino Agana IV of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, supposedly causing what the lawmaker earlier touted as a “surprise witness” to withhold details about the alleged kickbacks and overpricing that accompanied the NBN contract.
“Nakausap niya si Attorney Agana na siyang nasa PLLO sa Senado. Maya-maya meron siyang kausap sa telepono na Ma'am...'Yes, Ma'am idi-deny ko po' [He was able to talk to Attorney Agana of the PLLO in the Senate. Later he was on the phone with a Ma'am, saying, 'Yes, Ma'am I will deny it],” Lacson said, adding that personnel of the office of the Senate sergeant-at-arms heard the phone conversation.
In an interview with reporters, Agana admitted talking to San Miguel Monday night, before the witness met with Lacson, and Tuesday morning, before he faced the Senate inquiry.
But Agana said San Miguel only told him he was going to answer whatever questions he would be asked.
Agana, who said he was San Miguel's lawyer when the latter was president of the Philippine Cable Television Association, denied trying to influence the businessman’s testimony or that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or Malacañang instructed him to do so.
