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30
Sep
Food, clothing not enough — Joey III
Relief centers distributing food and clothing are not enough. The housing needs of Ondoy’s victims have to be met too, businessman Joey de Venecia III said yesterday.
“Everyone has the three basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. While there are a growing number of organizations providing food and clothing, we should not forget that their housing needs are just as important,” according to de Venecia.
Most of the victims did not lose their homes since the winds from last Saturday’s storm were not that strong. There was just a lot of water damage. For this reason, de Venecia said cleaning up the homes and communities is just as important.
De Venecia initiated a campaign to help clean up the homes of victims by providing 10 large payloaders, 20 dump trucks, 10 generator sets, 10 water tanks, and 100 pressure washers. He also gave away 100 shovels, 100 rakes and 200 brooms (walis tingting) for Marikina residents, who were among the worst hit by Ondoy. De Venecia visited Barangay Sto Nino, Malanday in the Riverside section of the city and helped collect the garbage and waste that threatens to cause the spread of diseases. He also gave away 2,500 food and bottled water packs to the residents.
“The health department has already warned that stagnant pools of water would be breeding grounds for mosquitos that can cause an outbreak of dengue and other diseases. We have to do all we can to prevent this,” de Venecia said at the site.
He called on other businessmen to also provide dump trucks and other cleaning and clearing equipment to the worst-affected areas in Metro Manila.
De Venecia added that the national government and local government units did not have the means to handle the growing problem of mountains of trash accumulating everywhere in the metropolis. The private sector can do its part by helping clean up, he said.
“This has to be done now. Tomorrow will be too late,” said de Venecia.
With the possibility of another storm hitting the Philippines this week, de Venecia said immediate action was necessary. Otherwise, the National Capital Region would be overwhelmed by trash.
De Venecia also reiterated his call for a halt to political attacks on the government’s alleged inability to handle the post-Ondoy situation.
“This is not the time for finger pointing,” he said.
De Venecia said his long experience in the private sector tells him that problems should be addressed before they become insurmountable.
“Remember that old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? It applies to our shared situation. We have to clean up now,” de Venecia said.
29
Sep
Joey III calls for volunteers
Joey III calls for volunteers
With millions of Filipinos affected by the flash floods caused by tropical storm Ondoy, today is a time for bayanihan, businessman Joey de Venecia III said yesterday.
“All of us who were lucky enough to be spared from the effects of the storm should roll up our sleeves and help those who were,” he said.
De Venecia put together an emergency clean up crew which is on call and ready to help any barangay in need. He is also distributing 2,500 food packages. His actions were the result of urgent calls and messages he received from his friends who live in Marikina and who were seriously affected.
He promised to do what he could.
De Venecia is also asking his friends and supporters to volunteer their services to the various relief centers all over Metro Manila after receiving feedback that most centers were swamped with requests and sorely lacking in manpower.
Since there are no classes until Wednesday, de Venecia called on all students not affected by the floods to get together with their classmates and barkada and go to the relief centers.
De Venecia also called for a ceasefire on all political activities.
“There is no reason to attack the government, which I’m sure is doing all it can. The fact is this was a calamity that was totally unexpected,” the businessman said.
The floods even hit Malacanang, he pointed out.
“Whenever we are faced with a great tragedy or a national emergency, we Filipinos have shown time and again that we are capable of setting aside our differences and working together for the common good. This spirit of bayanihan remains strong in us, and it is precisely what we need today,” de Venecia said.
24
Sep
Joey III: Where’s the Blue Ribbon report, Senator Gordon?
More than two weeks after vowing to release the Blue Ribbon committee report on the ZTE-NBN scandal, Senator Richard Gordon has yet to deliver on his promise.
“Is he seeking approval of the final draft from his superiors in Malacanang?” businessman Joey de Venecia III asked yesterday.
Gordon concluded the Blue Ribbon hearings on the P16-billion scandal earlier this month with a promise to release the final report shortly thereafter. But only after the senator engaged the IT businessman in a heated exchange owing to what the latter said was Gordon’s prejudging the case.
While the Ombudsman had cleared de Venecia and his father, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., of wrongdoing, Gordon had told a leading national broadsheet two days before the last hearing that he wanted the father and son charged. The Ombudsman is filing charges against former Comelec chief Ben Abalos and former National Economic and Development Authority head Romulo Neri for their culpability in the case, but excluded First Gentleman Mike Arroyo to the strong protests of various sectors.
The young de Venecia had accused Gordon of taking orders from Malacanang to implicate him and his father in exchange for “special favors.”
A failed presidential contender under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi, Gordon is expected to seek reelection in next year’s elections.
“Before he devotes all his time to politics, Senator Dick Gordon should take care of more important matters first. The Blue Ribbon report on ZTE-NBN should be a top priority for him,” said de Venecia.
De Venecia said he wanted to remind Gordon to think carefully about his version of the final report. “As a lawyer, he should know better. I was the whistleblower and my proposal was aboveboard. More importantly, I am a private citizen, not a government official like himself. The Ombudsman can only run after government officials.”
De Venecia added that Gordon has had prior experience on being charged before the Ombudsman. During Gordon’s term as head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, he was charged with malversation of public funds in excess of P800 million after the Commission on Audit disallowed with finality his various cash advances.
22
Sep
Joey III seeks transparency in awarding of govt contracts
“We need to return accountability and respect for the rule of law in government, with the playing field in business and government dealings fair and transparent,” IT businessman Joey De Venecia III told a group of bloggers in Quezon City over the weekend.
In a meeting with print, broadcast and electronic media, De Venecia said he now believes legislative reforms must be pushed to encourage ordinary citizens “to blow the lid off the cancer of corruption that now permeates the corridors of power,” with executive privilege and immunity from suit benefitting the Mafia that control’s the award of contracts for public works projects.
“It is for this reason that I’m seriously considering running for senator to be able to make a positive contribution to the structural reforms in government,” De Venecia said.
Based on recent surveys by the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, the son and namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. is a probable winner if clean and honest elections are held today.
De Venecia, however, said he was aware that “dagdag-bawas” or point shaving could affect his standings if “Garci-type” commissioners under the control of Malacanang were still in the Commission on Elections. But he added that today’s Comelec is different from the poll body that mishandled the 2004 presidential elections.
De Venecia also raised concerns that the May 2010 polls would be chaotic. He has been pushing for automated polls be conducted in the National Capital Region only, with full automation nationwide to be done for the barangay elections later in the year. “This way we can properly validate the efficiency and reliability of the system before we go nationwide,” De Venecia said.
There are not enough checks and balances to assure 100 percent clean elections next year, he added.
De Venecia warned that “the balloting could end in chaos with automated failure in the counting and canvassing of the more than 30 million ballots expected to be cast equivalent to about 70 percent of the voting population.”
“We cannot ignore that danger built into the untested national infrastructure that’s been totally outsourced to a foreign firm which does not have the capability to recruit and qualify the 47,000 computer technicians it needs to run and troubleshoot the automated cvoting and counting machines,” de Venecia said.
Blogger and TV host Dean Jorge Bocobo suggested that “a double-track system be used next year: the automated system done side by side with the manual count.”
14
Sep
FULLY AUTOMATED FAILURE? – JOEY III
The Commission on Elections must resolve some very serious issues before proceeding with full automation for the May 2010 polls, Joey de Venecia III said yesterday.
In a press statement, the IT businessman pointed out that the time it will take for a voter to cast his ballot would take much longer than before.
“The Comelec should conduct a time and motion study first before taking such a gung ho attitude to automation,” he said. “I’ve conducted informal studies on this matter alone and they indicate that it may take up to ten times longer for every voter to complete the voting process.”
Since the number of voting precincts will be reduced, there will be more voters massing in them next year, he said.
From more than 200,000 voting precincts in the past – usually the nation’s public schools – the number will be reduced to 80,000. This means that the number per precinct will increase threefold.
Then there is the new ballot. De Venecia said that the Comelec’s newly-designed ballot is double sided and will have some 300 names of candidates to choose from unlike in the past wherein the voter only had to fill in the names of his choice of president, vice president and 12 senators.
“The time it will take to fill in the ballot will likewise increase substantially,” according to de Venecia.
“If it took a minute to complete one’s ballot before, it will now take three or even four minutes, given the new form that the electorate is not used to.”
Under an informal time and motion study conducted by de Venecia, the typical voter will have to look for his new precinct, join a much longer queue, then fill in a type of ballot that he has never seen before.
“Everything points to a chaotic May 2010 election,” said the son and namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia.
“I don’t want to seem like some kind of prophet of doom, but the chaotic voting day scenario could lead to a failure of elections. What this can lead to is anybody’s guess.”
De Venecia is pushing for full automation to be applied only in the National Capital Region. He said if voting goes smoothly enough in Metro Manila, then full nationwide automation can be applied in the barangay elections in the latter part of 2010.
“There are so many things that can go wrong, not just the extra long hours it will take for every voter to finally cast his ballot,” said de Venecia.
The voting machines need to be manned by 47,000 trained technicians, he said.
Smartmatic, the foreign company which won the bid to automate the elections, “is an IT firm and not a recruitment agency,” he said. “Where will they find 47,000 qualified technicians?”
De Venecia also said he was concerned that the results would be forwarded to the Comelec headquarters in Manila electronically, meaning through Smart, Globe and possibly Sun, the country’s three major telcos.
In far-flung areas, or in areas where the three companies have insufficient signals, the results would have to be forwarded through satellite bounce. Systems loss could alter the results of the presidential elections in a tight race. The same would be true for the senators fighting it out for the ninth to 12th slots.
“A two percent systems loss for the country’s 40 million voters translates to 800,000 votes not being properly counted,” said de Venecia.
At worst, chaos on election day could be used as an excuse by the Arroyo administration to declare emergency rule, even martial law, warned de Venecia.
De Venecia earned national prominence in Sept., 2007 when he testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that the Arroyo administration had approved a P16 billion deal with ZTE of China to install a nationwide broadband network. That deal was cancelled by Malacanang after de Venecia’s revelations showed huge kickbacks would be received by then Comelec chief Ben Abalos and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
13
Sep
May 2010 polls will be chaotic – Joey III
While he is not contesting the recent Supreme Court decision giving the go signal for the full automation of the May 2010 polls, businessman Joey de Venecia III yesterday said he foresees “a chaotic election day.”
The Commission on Elections should seriously consider applying full automation only in the National Capital Region, he said.
De Venecia reasoned that while the SC allowed the automation to proceed, the Comelec was not obligated to proceed unless the poll body was absolutely sure that nothing would go wrong on election day, according to de Venecia, an IT businessman who is a pioneer in the broadband technology and helped establish the Philippine call center industry.
With 80,000 machines to be delivered to voting precincts nationwide a mere three days before the actual voting, de Venecia said “too many things can go wrong.” His biggest concern, he said, was the need for 47,000 technicians to man the machines.
Smartmatic which won the bid to computerize the country’s election system “is not a recruitment agency,” said de Venecia. Even if the company were able to recruit the 47,000 qualified technicians – highly improbable, if not impossible — they would still need to be trained, he added.
The Comelec will store the voting machines in Bulacan when they arrive. De Venecia raised the possibility that the security of both hardware and software could be compromised while in storage.
Shipping out the machines has been contracted to the private delivery company 2Go which only covers 60 percent of the country, the son and namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia pointed out.
“What about the remaining 40 percent? Will this be subcontracted? To whom?” he asked.
The ZTE-NBN whistleblower said he was not convinced that there were sufficient checks and balances in place to assure that the May 2010 polls will run smoothly.
“Anything can happen,” he said, “the transmission of the returns will be through our existing telecoms system which does not operate at 100 percent efficiency.”
Bad weather, mechanical failure or power outages could affect the transmission of the results. Even a two percent failure would translate to 800,000 votes being lost. In a close contest for the presidency, vice presidency or senate races, this loss could alter the final results, de Venecia said.
Even the newly-designed ballot could be problematic, he said, since the voter would have so many names to choose from. The time spent in filling the ballot will be much longer than before, and voters would still need to acquaint themselves with the new form.
For one, there is no room for error in filling the ballot.
As an example, the voter must make his or her pick of 12 senatorial candidates. He or she may opt to vote for less than 12, but if the voter checks more than 12 names, his vote becomes null and void.
In pushing for the Comelec to apply full automation only to Metro Manila, de Venecia said most if not all the potential problems could be solved instantly. Media, poll watchers, concerned citizens and the Comelec itself which is headquartered in Manila would be able to see the problems as they occurred and react accordingly.
Under a worst-case scenario, de Venecia said the Comelec could declare a failure of elections if too many voters are unable to cast their votes or if technical glitches interrupt the count or transmittal of returns.
“If the automated elections go well in the NCR , the Comelec can then apply nationwide computerized polls in the 2013 midterm elections, or even in the barangay elections in late 2010,” de Venecia said.
The May 2010 elections will be one of the most important in the nation’s history, according to de Venecia. “The Comelec cannot afford to make a mess of it.”
Chaotic polls could be used as an excuse by the unpopular Arroyo administration to extend its term or declare martial law, he warned.
10
Sep
Tax on text ill-advised – Joey III
The House-approved measure imposing a five centavo excise tax on every text, picture, video or audio clip sent through mobile phones is uncalled for, businessman Joey de Venecia III said yesterday.
While proponents of the bill such as Speaker Prospero Nograles say the tax will not be passed on to consumers, it does not provide such a guarantee, according to de Venecia.
“Why pass this burden on to consumers? Why not just improve tax collection efforts and eradicate graft and corruption in government?” he asked.
House Bill 6625 removes the “no pass on provision” of the original bill authored by Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson. This means that the telecoms companies would be allowed to pass on to consumers the new tax.
The government, meanwhile, is expected to add an additional P20 billion to P36 billion to its coffers.
The Philippines is known as the texting capital of the world owing to the Filipinos’ inherent need to constantly keep in touch with their friends and loved ones. Between the three major players Globe, Smart and Sun, nearly 70 million cellphone owners nationwide send an average of 10 text messages a day.
“Texting is a small luxury enjoyed by most Filipinos. The tax approved by the House majority will affect nearly all Filipinos,” de Venecia said.
Additional taxes is not the solution to the country’s very serious problem with graft and corruption, he added.
The Geneva-based World Economic Forum very recently said that the country’s perennial problems of corruption, inefficient government bureaucracy and inadequate infrastructure were the main reasons given for the further decline in the country’s competitiveness ranking. This is what the government should address, said de Venecia.
Nograles errs when he says the telecoms companies can easily bear the tax burden since the actual cost of short messaging service is very low, according to de Venecia. Capital expenditures of the telcos is in the billions and is constant in order to keep up with constantly evolving technologies, he added.
IT-based businessman de Venecia is a pioneer in the broadband technology in Asia and helped establish the Philippine call center industry. He became a national figure when he acted as whistleblower of the now infamous ZTE-national broadband network scam whereby an inferior P16-billion broadband network would have been installed with billions of pesos in kickbacks going to the pockets of powerful figures in the Arroyo administration.
2
Sep
Life of an insider turned upside down
Life of an insider turned upside down – 9-02-09”
CONFESSIONS OF WHISTLE-BLOWER
Life of an insider turned upside down
By Joey de Venecia III
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:08:00 09/02/2009
Filed Under: NBN deal, Graft & Corruption, Personal Finance, Technology (general)
(Editor’s Note: Businessman Joey de Venecia, namesake and son of the former Speaker, opened a Pandora’s box when he testified at the Senate in 2007 that the now-scrapped National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.—designed to wire the country electronically—was tarnished with bribery. His company, Amsterdam Holdings, was also interested in the project. This is De Venecia’s account—edited for brevity—of what it’s like to be a whistle-blower.)
THE DIE HAS BEEN CAST.
Being a whistle-blower is not easy. I remember the movie “The Insider” where Jeffrey Wingand (played by Russel Crowe) blows the whistle on large tobacco firms. Wingand feels the wrath of his enemies and his private life is turned upside down.
About a year and a half has passed since I was first thrust into the public eye. The fallout continues.
My business has been affected. I have been ostracized in the business community as I am considered Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Public Enemy No. 1. My father, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., has been forced out of his position. I am still concerned about the safety of myself and my immediate family. I was sued by the Ombudsman for graft and corruption.
I’ve been crippled financially, unable to earn any income from my business interests. For the first time since my college days, I tried to withdraw from an ATM, only to see the message: “insufficient funds.”
Worst of all, I was forced to defer my plans of getting married because I did not want my fiancée exposed to the dangers I now face. I still want to get married and have, in fact, filed for a marriage license two times. The next time I file for a wedding license, I want to make sure my marriage will be a long, happy one, blessed with children who will grow up in a country they can be proud of.
I ask myself how did I get to this sad state of affairs?
My friends—the real ones—often ask me if it was all worth it. While I may have some regrets, if I had the chance to do it over again, I would have done exactly the same thing.
I have made a significant number of enemies. At times, I am angry at God for putting me in this situation but I immediately ask for His help. He is the only one who can help me in my life.
I face bouts of sadness and loneliness bordering on depression. I consider myself lucky that I have my classmates and friends the likes of Bishop Oscar Cruz, who advises me, and the values instilled in me by the Jesuit priests and Christian brothers in the two schools where I spent my formative years—Ateneo and La Salle.
I ask my countrymen to pray for me that I will be strong enough. I was referred to a Carmelite nun, Sister Donna, and I asked her to pray for me. She said yes but she said she was also praying for the government.
The perception of the public (or what the Palace spin doctors have created) is that the whistle-blower is part of the deal and did not get his fair share. My revelation has earned me such monikers as sore loser. I feel hurt when I am portrayed in this light when I only tried to do the right thing.
Living with the truth
To my fellow whistle-blowers, I can only say let us not give up even if public perception goes against us or interest wanes. We all have to live with the truth that life is not always fair. My consolation is that I saved Filipino taxpayers $329 million (P16 billion) and I have my self-esteem intact.
The National Broadband Network I had been proposing remains a must for a developing country like the Philippines. With the NBN, the country can at least fight for investments on a relatively level playing field.
A business opportunity
This has become all the more critical for us in light of the global financial crisis. State-of-the-art technology is needed for a country to be considered an attractive investment site. Just look at Singapore today.
At the risk of losing everything, I chose to speak up. For this, I have been threatened, my reputation savaged. Lies were spread about me, my business dealings and my personal life.
As a businessman whose main line is technology, I saw an opportunity to provide an essential service and to make some decent profits with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work. I knew I could bid for the NBN contract by offering the best possible deal that would be competitive with the other carriers.
We did not know that behind our backs, powerful parties were at work to award the contract to China’s ZTE Corp.
For the record, ZTE does manufacture quality telecommunications equipment that are fairly priced and which are generally reliable. What I would later question is the manner in which that company seeks to close deals.
A greater cause
My personal philosophy hasn’t changed. There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to serve a cause greater than himself.
Let my enemies say what they will.
Exposing the NBN-ZTE deal was the first time I entered the political arena. I have been invited to political forums and rallies and met many of our countrymen grateful for what I have done. I get text messages and e-mails of encouragement from Filipinos here and abroad. I would like to thank them.
I am aware that being a namesake to my father, my name rings a bell with most Filipinos. Everyone knows what JDV looks like. Very recently, I stood at the corner of Buendia and Makati Avenue, just watching people pass by. No one seemed to recognize me.
A friend joked that I look far different now than when I first appeared in the media because of the NBN-ZTE case. My hair is much shorter now and I’ve lost some weight.
I still feel unsafe anywhere I go. I’ve received death threats. I’ve had to hire bodyguards at great expense, even as my income has gone down drastically.
A special woman
My father has lent me his bullet-proof car. My security consultants even asked me to use a bullet-proof blanket to cover me, and I now carry a gun. To my enemies, it is a Glock 19 with the appropriate license and permit. The first and last time I fired a gun, a rifle, was on a hunting trip in the mountains of Colorado.
I can no longer enjoy the simple joys of the past, such as watching a movie, going out of town or eating out with my son. Dates with my fiancée are kept to a minimum. Our wedding plans remain on hold. But I remain thankful to God for the love of my father, son and one special woman.
No perfect crime
I do believe there is no such thing as a perfect crime. Sooner or later, the truth will come out. Justice will be served. It must. The Filipino people deserve nothing less.
I have always been a good paying debtor of my mortgage, but in the last six months I have been consistently late in servicing my debts. Since my first marriage was annulled in 1995, I have been a good provider to my son and my ex-wife, but today even my support to them is delayed.
My only asset was my home which I worked hard to build, and which I recently sold. People have the mistaken notion that I am rich just because I am a De Venecia. I sold my house to pay my mortgage and provide for the basic needs of my son and myself.
I have a little cash left but this has to be appropriated to lawyers’ and security fees. I am starting all over again from day one, hopefully to reinvent myself and focus on developing a small business for the present time. I do hope to look at other opportunities when my situation improves.
Since the last check my father cut in 1989 to complete my college education, I have been independent from him. I am my own man. The businesses I have established are my own. I am a CEO, not a COO (child of owner).
As a private citizen who poses no threat to the government, I do not know what gives the present administration the right to keep me under close observation, tap my phones and constantly case my house.
Although people view me as a businessman, I also try to help the poor. I am on the board of trustees of the Virlanie Foundation, the New Beginnings Foundation, and the Muntinlupa Renewal Home.
I refuse to die today. I refuse to back off today. By the grace of God, I will wake up every morning whatever way I am feeling and I will show up in life and do what is required of me.
I will not be silenced.
2
Sep
STATEMENT FROM JOEY DE VENECIA III
After yesterday’s Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing, Senator Dick Gordon said everyone who is guilty should be charged.
I agree with Senator Dick wholeheartedly. All the guilty parties should be charged. As of now, we can only refer to First Gentleman Mike Arroyo as the mastermind of the dirty deal. He should be the first to be charged.
As Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has not been cleared of complicity. She was simply excluded because she enjoys immunity from suit while seated as president.
Senator Dick also said that I should be charged and would have my day in court to prove my innocence.
The good senator should know that I already faced trumped up charges before the Ombudsman despite the fact that I am a private citizen. The legal fees that I have shouldered have seriously affected my personal finances.
Yet he wants me to face more similar unfair and unfounded charges.
Senator Dick says that I used my father’s connections to clinch the national broadband network contract. He is wrong on two counts. One, my father is not part of the decision-making process of the executive branch of government. And two, I am not barred from dealing with the government because I have been engaged in IT-related businesses even before my father became speaker. The law is very clear on this.
I urge Senator Dick to continue to find the true mastermind behind the endless series of scams and scandals of the Arroyo administration. Most, if not all, will point to the direction of the First Gentleman.
I trust the most of the members of the Blue Ribbon committee will have a clearer view of the ZTE-NBN scandal, from the eyes of an objective legislator rather than as a potential presidential candidate.
2
Sep
CONFESSIONS OF WHISTLE-BLOWER Life of an insider turned upside down
By Joey de Venecia III
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:08:00 09/02/2009
Filed Under: NBN deal, Graft & Corruption, Personal Finance, Technology (general)
(Editor’s Note: Businessman Joey de Venecia, namesake and son of the former Speaker, opened a Pandora’s box when he testified at the Senate in 2007 that the now-scrapped National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.—designed to wire the country electronically—was tarnished with bribery. His company, Amsterdam Holdings, was also interested in the project. This is De Venecia’s account—edited for brevity—of what it’s like to be a whistle-blower.)
THE DIE HAS BEEN CAST.
Being a whistle-blower is not easy. I remember the movie “The Insider” where Jeffrey Wingand (played by Russel Crowe) blows the whistle on large tobacco firms. Wingand feels the wrath of his enemies and his private life is turned upside down.
About a year and a half has passed since I was first thrust into the public eye. The fallout continues.
My business has been affected. I have been ostracized in the business community as I am considered Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Public Enemy No. 1. My father, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., has been forced out of his position. I am still concerned about the safety of myself and my immediate family. I was sued by the Ombudsman for graft and corruption.
I’ve been crippled financially, unable to earn any income from my business interests. For the first time since my college days, I tried to withdraw from an ATM, only to see the message: “insufficient funds.”
Worst of all, I was forced to defer my plans of getting married because I did not want my fiancée exposed to the dangers I now face. I still want to get married and have, in fact, filed for a marriage license two times. The next time I file for a wedding license, I want to make sure my marriage will be a long, happy one, blessed with children who will grow up in a country they can be proud of.
I ask myself how did I get to this sad state of affairs?
My friends—the real ones—often ask me if it was all worth it. While I may have some regrets, if I had the chance to do it over again, I would have done exactly the same thing.
I have made a significant number of enemies. At times, I am angry at God for putting me in this situation but I immediately ask for His help. He is the only one who can help me in my life.
I face bouts of sadness and loneliness bordering on depression. I consider myself lucky that I have my classmates and friends the likes of Bishop Oscar Cruz, who advises me, and the values instilled in me by the Jesuit priests and Christian brothers in the two schools where I spent my formative years—Ateneo and La Salle.
I ask my countrymen to pray for me that I will be strong enough. I was referred to a Carmelite nun, Sister Donna, and I asked her to pray for me. She said yes but she said she was also praying for the government.
The perception of the public (or what the Palace spin doctors have created) is that the whistle-blower is part of the deal and did not get his fair share. My revelation has earned me such monikers as sore loser. I feel hurt when I am portrayed in this light when I only tried to do the right thing.
Living with the truth.
To my fellow whistle-blowers, I can only say let us not give up even if public perception goes against us or interest wanes. We all have to live with the truth that life is not always fair. My consolation is that I saved Filipino taxpayers $329 million (P16 billion) and I have my self-esteem intact.
The National Broadband Network I had been proposing remains a must for a developing country like the Philippines. With the NBN, the country can at least fight for investments on a relatively level playing field.
A business opportunity
This has become all the more critical for us in light of the global financial crisis. State-of-the-art technology is needed for a country to be considered an attractive investment site. Just look at Singapore today.
At the risk of losing everything, I chose to speak up. For this, I have been threatened, my reputation savaged. Lies were spread about me, my business dealings and my personal life.
As a businessman whose main line is technology, I saw an opportunity to provide an essential service and to make some decent profits with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work. I knew I could bid for the NBN contract by offering the best possible deal that would be competitive with the other carriers.
We did not know that behind our backs, powerful parties were at work to award the contract to China’s ZTE Corp.
For the record, ZTE does manufacture quality telecommunications equipment that are fairly priced and which are generally reliable. What I would later question is the manner in which that company seeks to close deals.
A greater cause
My personal philosophy hasn’t changed. There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to serve a cause greater than himself.
Let my enemies say what they will.
Exposing the NBN-ZTE deal was the first time I entered the political arena. I have been invited to political forums and rallies and met many of our countrymen grateful for what I have done. I get text messages and e-mails of encouragement from Filipinos here and abroad. I would like to thank them.
I am aware that being a namesake to my father, my name rings a bell with most Filipinos. Everyone knows what JDV looks like. Very recently, I stood at the corner of Buendia and Makati Avenue, just watching people pass by. No one seemed to recognize me.
A friend joked that I look far different now than when I first appeared in the media because of the NBN-ZTE case. My hair is much shorter now and I’ve lost some weight.
I still feel unsafe anywhere I go. I’ve received death threats. I’ve had to hire bodyguards at great expense, even as my income has gone down drastically.
A special woman
My father has lent me his bullet-proof car. My security consultants even asked me to use a bullet-proof blanket to cover me, and I now carry a gun. To my enemies, it is a Glock 19 with the appropriate license and permit. The first and last time I fired a gun, a rifle, was on a hunting trip in the mountains of Colorado.
I can no longer enjoy the simple joys of the past, such as watching a movie, going out of town or eating out with my son. Dates with my fiancée are kept to a minimum. Our wedding plans remain on hold. But I remain thankful to God for the love of my father, son and one special woman.
No perfect crime
I do believe there is no such thing as a perfect crime. Sooner or later, the truth will come out. Justice will be served. It must. The Filipino people deserve nothing less.
I have always been a good paying debtor of my mortgage, but in the last six months I have been consistently late in servicing my debts. Since my first marriage was annulled in 1995, I have been a good provider to my son and my ex-wife, but today even my support to them is delayed.
My only asset was my home which I worked hard to build, and which I recently sold. People have the mistaken notion that I am rich just because I am a De Venecia. I sold my house to pay my mortgage and provide for the basic needs of my son and myself.
I have a little cash left but this has to be appropriated to lawyers’ and security fees. I am starting all over again from day one, hopefully to reinvent myself and focus on developing a small business for the present time. I do hope to look at other opportunities when my situation improves.
Since the last check my father cut in 1989 to complete my college education, I have been independent from him. I am my own man. The businesses I have established are my own. I am a CEO, not a COO (child of owner).
As a private citizen who poses no threat to the government, I do not know what gives the present administration the right to keep me under close observation, tap my phones and constantly case my house.
Although people view me as a businessman, I also try to help the poor. I am on the board of trustees of the Virlanie Foundation, the New Beginnings Foundation, and the Muntinlupa Renewal Home.
I refuse to die today. I refuse to back off today. By the grace of God, I will wake up every morning whatever way I am feeling and I will show up in life and do what is required of me.
I will not be silenced.
