BY DENNIS GADIL

SENATORS yesterday expressed outrage over reports that House Speaker Jose de Venecia promised President Arroyo he would ask his son Jose "Joey" de Venecia III not to appear in the NBN-ZTE probe to ultimately derail the investigation.

The reports said the pledge was made in exchange for her total support to his leadership which has been under fire.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Blue Ribbon, the lead investigating panel, said only the members of the joint panels and not De Venecia could stop the investigation.

The other panels are the trade and commerce committee of Sen. Mar Roxas and the national defense and national security committee of Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the probe’s proponent, said he would block any effort to stop the probe.

"Hindi niya basta basta mapapatigil ang Senado," minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.

"JDV’s promise has no effect on the Senate," said majority leader Francis Pangilinan.

Senate President Manuel Villar said the matter of stopping the probe would be a decision of the entire Senate joint panel.

Sen. Francis Escudero said instead of dragging the Senate as part of his "collateral damage" in saving his speakership, De Venecia should fight his challengers head on.

De Venecia’s promise apparently was aimed at buying time to stay on as Speaker.

De Venecia faces serious challenge from disgruntled pro-administration congressmen supporting Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles as his replacement.

Cayetano said the hearings would continue but this would depend on the progress of the Senate arresting teams in finding Higher Education chair Romulo Neri and Rodolfo Noel Lozada.

He said the Blue Ribbon is considering sending Senate teams to Hong Kong and London to look for Lozada.

The Senate last Wednesday cited Neri and Lozada for contempt and ordered their arrest for snubbing the hearing.

Neri said he did not receive any summons.

Lozada left for an "official mission" to the United Kingdom via Hong Kong hours before the hearing.

Joey was invited as resource person last Wednesday but backed out, saying his appearance hinged on Lozada’s presence as he would corroborate the latter’s testimony.

Last year, Joey testified that First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo told him to back off from the project.

Neri has admitted that Lozada helped him in technical aspect of the NBN deal.

Lozada was Neri’s technical consultant at the National Economic and Development Authority before the latter was named president of the government-owned Philippine Forestry Corp.

Lacson said Neri and Lozada should appear first before any committee report is drafted and issued by the Senate joint panel.

Lacson took up the challenge of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday that they withdraw their signatures in the motion to cite Lozada in contempt to pave the way for his return.

"That’s fine with me. But the problem is, fait accompli na ang arrest warrant. If we withdraw signatures, there are still the signatures of 14 other senators," he said.

Villar said the Senate would turn down the appeal of Neri to reconsider the arrest warrant.

Pangilinan reiterated that any "appeal" from Neri to relax the search for him should be rejected outright for as he has snubbed their summons and subpoenas several times.

EMPTY-HANDED

Senate sheriffs again failed in serving the arrest warrant on Neri yesterday.

The team returned to Neri’s residence at Siena Village in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City shortly after lunch but immediately left after being told by Neri’s household staff that he was not home.

A source at the Office of the Senate President said Villar has indicated his desire that the arresting teams camp out outside Neri’s residence.

Senate security chief Jose Balajadia said powerful personalities are protecting Neri.

But he refused to name names saying it is "unfair to blame anyone" at this point.

Neri, who turned 58 yesterday, has been the subject of a Senate manhunt since Wednesday evening.

Balajadia said they have requested immigration authorities to hold Lozada in custody when he arrives.

NERI PLEADS

Neri, in a radio interview, said he expects to be back to work next week Monday.

"I’ll just take it easy. Sana mabigyan ako ng kaunting katahimikan for me to be able to do the job," he said.

Neri appealed to the Senate to stop calling him a fugitive. "I feel bad because I’m treated like a criminal. I’m not a criminal."

"I’ve testified before them but like what I said di ko talaga masasagot yung mga confidential information na napag-usapan namin ng Pangulo dahil covered na yun ng executive privilege," he said.

Neri yesterday asked the Supreme Court to restrain the Senate from enforcing his arrest.

In a seven-page supplemental petition, Neri, in his capacity as former director general of the National Economic and Development Authority, said the Senate committees gravely abused their discretion when they jointly ordered his arrest.

"The gross arbitrariness of respondents’ order of arrest is patent on its face. This order of arrest elides, and side-steps, the President’s invocation of executive privilege in behalf of petitioner," he said through lawyer Antonio Bautista.

‘GIVE THE GUY A BREAK’

Malacañang urged the Senate to let the Supreme Court resolve Neri’s petition for certiorari.

"It’s a pro-forma move but the decision is with the SC...There is no harm in waiting for a few days," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

Chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol said the Senate is not sending a good signal to future resource persons because its witnesses end up getting arrest warrants.

"Give the guy a break, please," he said.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said while the Palace supports Neri "all the way," it is not hiding him.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said he understands Neri and Lozada’s refusal to testify for fear of their lives.

"Even common farmers, militant leaders and journalists are being killed under the present administration. Why should they be any different?" said Cruz, a former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. – With Evangeline de Vera, Regina Bengco, Ashzel Hachero and Gerard Naval