Gaite’s rich uncle says P.5M came from him

By Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon

BAAO, CAMARINES SUR--THE UNCLE OF Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite yesterday confirmed that the P500,000 his nephew gave to ZTE deal scandal witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun’’ Lozada came from him.

Melquiades Gaite, 71, told the Inquirer the P500,000 was drawn from the P1.5 million he had loaned to his nephew for the renovation of their house in Bulacan.

Melquiades said Gaite borrowed P1.5 million from him in September 2007 when he went home here for the Peñafrancia festival.

“He told me he lacked money for the renovation of their house in Bulacan. He even gave me a 1.5-hectare land that he owned here as a guarantee if I wanted,” Melquiades said.

He added that he gave Gaite P300,000 in cash on Dec. 2; P500,000 on Dec. 24, P300,000 on Jan. 4, and P400,000 on Jan. 25.

Melquiades, this town’s former mayor, defended his nephew and described him as a humble, quiet, compassionate and honest man.

“Manny is a humble, honest, compassionate and silent person. We have protected our family reputation for years,” he added.

“What happened with Manny can be called a frame-up. He was just there to offer (Lozada) help,” Melquiades said.

He added he found Lozada’s twisted accounts unbelievable.

In the Senate inquiry on the ZTE deal, Sen. Manuel Roxas said that the “private source” of the money Gaite gave to Lozada should also come out and explain.

Melquiades stressed he was the source of the money and not the public treasury.

He said he did not know his nephew would give it to Lozada and it was none of his concern.

Melquiades and his son own a poultry farm, tourist inn and a construction firm.

He said none of the amount he lent to Gaite even came from the profit of his businesses.

“The Shell Corporation just paid me P3.9 million to replace the money I spent for construction of the company-owned gasoline station here and it pays me P464,000 per month for their rent of the lot. I just claimed P800,000 worth of my GSIS terminal benefits,” Melquiades said.

Gaite grew up in this town, studied grade school in the Sta. Monica Academy here, and graduated high school from the Holy Rosary seminary in Naga City.