The plot thickens in the NBN-ZTE issue.
While the Senate interrogates witnesses in the corruption-laden National Broadband Network project, a video appeared on YouTube supposedly containing the wiretapped conversation between NBN-ZTE “star witness” Jun Lozada and Congressman Joey de Venecia.
The conversation, laced with profanities from both parties, dealt with the supposed bribery in the NBN deal and discussed another potential kickback with regard to the “Chinese embassy thing.”
The Inquirer reported that de Venecia did not deny it was his voice talking about a $130-million kickback allegedly demanded by former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos. He claims it was Abalos who probably masterminded the release of the wiretapped conversation on YouTube.
Listen to the alleged Jun Lozada- Joey de Venecia conversation and read the transcript after the jump.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=iEAVaXA8kBM[/youtube]
Transcript
- Joey (allegedly, Joey de Venecia): Hey Jun.
- Jun (allegedly, Jun Lozada): Hey Joey.
- Joey: Jun, can you hear me?
- Jun: Yeah. Go ahead.
- Joey: Yeah, where do you put Chair (Abalos)? Ang formula ko doon is kuha ako ng points dun sa… sa… dun sa 130.
- Jun: Uh-huh…
- Joey: Di ba? Kasi saan ko pa kukunin di ba? (laughs) Itong mga gago! Kaya lang pare, we need to … we need to get some! all… at least from… something from Ben (Abalos), di ba?
- Jun: Yeah.. from both sides. P*tangina!
- Joey: ‘Tong si Ben, pare.. start from the thing.. Because he’s the gatekeeper of the votes. P*ta…. free ride… I can understand, but not that amount.
- Jun: Oh yeah. that’s too big, right. That’s too big.
- Joey: Pare, let’s develop a plan to talk to him.
- Jun: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So!
- Joey: And you know what he told me, between you and I. When we were in Hong Kong… in Shenzhen. Don’t quote me ha. Sabi niya kasi, marami akong… Tinanong ko bakit ba ang laki-laki? Singkwenta.. Sabi niya marami ako kelangang bigyan. Pati yung NEDA. He said the word NEDA ha. P*tangina. For your information pare.
- Jun: Information? I would understand that… He’d like to look at…
- Joey: Maybe, wait, maybe you can quote me and say, sabi ni Joey meron daw… sabi mo sa kanya may NEDA dun. (laughs) Di ba? He told me pare. (laughs)
- Jun: Sige, sige…
- Joey: P*tangina, kaya lang baka magwala na naman yung… (laughs)
- Jun: For some reason, I have this chemistry with him. Sabi ko Chair… In fact, sabi niya, Jun, ikaw na mag-referee bukas ha. Sabi niya, I want you to be there. Ikaw na mag-referee, ikaw na magsabi kung papaano. Sige po Sir, ako na ang mag-aano sa ano… (laughs)
- Joey: Well anyway, so that’s where I’m looking at right now. .. ought to get you.. And then, uh, think of a strategy for Ben, and if you need me to back you up, I’ll be there.
- Jun: Hey Joey, ok, regarding this Chinese embassy thing. I think I struck a motherload no? I’ll put them in Roxas Boulevard. P*tangina, di ba?
- Joey: In the Reclamation?
- Jun: No, p*tangina, that’s… that’s not prime. We’ll put them in the CCP complex.
- Joey: Yup, got it.
- Jun: P*tangina. That’s yeah, wala.. I can swing that goddamn agreement.
- Joey: You mean, owned by the Central Bank?
- Jun: Yeah! Can you imagine? P*tangina, same stature as the American embassy, better pa, di ba? The Japanese Embassy is in Roxas Boulevard. The American embassy is there. So p*ta, it’s just right that we put the Chinese embassy right in the midst of it all, di ba?
- Joey: Yes, yes, of course. They’re a player, that’s perfect.
- Jun: Don’t mention my name. I think he knows me well.
- Joey: Gaano kalaki, pare?
- Jun: P*tangina, as much as 15 hectares. (laughs)
- Joey: P*tangina. Tapos siguro kumuha rin tayo dun. Kaya lang we need Ben’s (?) finances.
- Jun: No, no, no, no. P*tangina. I cannot just tell you all the things that I’ve been asked to do. But that one I think, I can swing for ourselves.
- Joey: Ok I’ll talk to the guy…
- Jun: Talk to him right away.
