MANILA - Former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) director-general Romulo Neri must reveal everything he knows about the alleged anomalies in the botched US$329-million national broadband network project, a senator said.

"It's time for Neri to think... Dapat magisip siya kung saan siya, redemption o prosecution?" said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who presided over last year's Senate probe on the NBN-ZTE scandal.

In his Senate testimony, Neri said he was offered a P200-million bribe by then Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, who was allegedly brokering for Chinese firm, ZTE Corp.

He said he informed President Arroyo about the bribe offer, but sought refuge under the principle of executive privilege when asked by the Senate to reveal more about their conversation.

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday told the Office of the President, through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, to suspend Neri for six months. The order came with the Ombudsman's 51-page resolution, finding Neri guilty of "misconduct."

Neri, currently the president of the Social Security System, was expected to return from a business trip from Hong Kong late Friday. He said he will immediately meet with his lawyers upon arrival to discuss how they would ask the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider its decision.

The suspension order followed the Ombudsman special investigating team's resolution finding Neri and Abalos liable for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The office said Neri violated Section 3(h) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Section 3(h) defines one of the prohibited acts for public officials: "Directly or indirectly having financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest."

'Brains' absolved

Cayetano has joined the cabal of critics of the Ombudsman's decision to absolve President Arroyo and her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, from the alleged anomalous broadband project.

He said it would be impossible for a NEDA chief and a Comelec chairman to mastermind a hugely anomalous contract.

"Just like in the movies, only the supporting actors and not the lead characters were charged," the senator said.

"Nakakatakot kung tama ito dahil ibig sabihin ang isang Comelec at isang NEDA lang, puwede nang magbuo ng ganito kalaki at kaanomalyang kontrata (It's frightening if [the ruling] is true because it means a Comelec chairman and a NEDA chief can come up with a very big and anomalous contract)."

Both Abalos and Neri have played down the Ombudsman's ruling. Abalos said the charges against him were baseless while Neri said he sees nothing wrong with refusing a bribe offer and playing golf with Abalos or meeting with ZTE Corp. officials.

A group called the Concerned Citizens' Movements (CCM), with a majority of lawyer members, said it will appeal the Ombudsman's ruling which cleared Mrs. Arroyo and the First Gentleman.

“The Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), whose members stood as complainants in the only complaint that included spouses Gloria and Miguel Arroyo as respondent for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with the NBN-ZTE deal, will appeal the recent decision of the Ombudsman,” CCM counsel and complainant Harry Roque said in a statement on Friday.  

The Ombudsman absolved Mrs. Arroyo from the charges citing her executive immunity to criminal and administrative charges. The first gentleman, meanwhile, was cleared due to lack of evidence. With a report from Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News