Man of the Hour

I think former NEDA Secretary and current CHED Commissioner Romulo Neri will put the lid on Abalos' coffin tomorrow when he testifies before the Senate. Over the past week, the Senate investigation focused largely on Joey de Venecia's word against Abalos.

Neri's testimony is critical because should he choose to toe the government's line and echo the claim that no irregularity took place in forging the deal with the Chinese, and should he deny de Venecia's claim that Abalos tried to bribe Neri in exchange for supporting the deal in favor of ZTE, it will shift the tide of public opinion away from de Venecia, bolstering DOTC Secretary Mendoza's accusation of calling the whistle-blower a "sore loser".

But earlier interviews with Neri indicate that he will likely spill the beans, so to speak. On TV, he appeared "disturbed" at the way things are proceeding and have lamented about the difficulty of instituting real reforms in government.

The academe has rallied support around him, I think mainly to pressure him to "do the right thing", so to speak.

I hope he will choose to do the right thing and let the ax fall where it should, on Abalos' head.