BLUE Ribbon committee chair Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday said the "high government official" whom he described on Monday as a new witness in the ZTE scandal is having second thoughts about testifying in the Senate.

"Nag-iisip siya kung Senate ang tamang venue," he said.

"Feeling ko desidido kasi hindi ko naman sya ka close. Hindi niya naman ako kakausapin kung talagang wala siyang desire na malaman ng tao yung mga alam niya," he said.

He said the witness has personal knowledge how the project was put together by several people "up to top government officials."

"But definitely, whether sa Senate o hindi, I

will encourage him to talk," Cayetano said.

He said the witness will attend a hearing Thursday at the Court of Appeals on the writ of amparo filed by the family of ZTE star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr.

A source said the witness feared that his life might be placed in danger.

Lozada is now under the protective custody of the Senate and is housed at the La Salle Greenhills dormitory.

This other witness, Cayetano said, is not in danger. "He can take care of his own personal security." - JP Lopez