MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 3) Former socio-economic secretary Romulo Neri pleaded not guilty Friday to the graft charges filed against him in connection with his alleged involvement in forging the telecommunications contract between the government and a Chinese firm.

In brief proceedings at the Sandiganbayan's fifth division, Neri entered his plea but made no further comment to media.

Neri has been linked to the allegedly anomalous $329 million National Broadband Network- Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) agreement that was forged under the administration of then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Neri is being charged with alleged violation of Section 3 (h) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for “directly or indirectly having financing or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.”

Mobbed by reporters after the hearing, Neri said of his plea: “Yes, not guilty. We just have to go through the process.”

When one reporter asked whether he at times felt sorry for himself, Neri replied: “Paminsan-minsan [Sometimes].”

Now out of the bureaucracy, Neri said he would focus on the case first.

“I'll take it easy for a while and focus on this case,” he said.

Asked about what he felt, Neri said, “Nalulungkot ako [I am saddened].”

Neri’s lawyer Paul Lentejas said Neri was neither considering becoming a state witness nor would he participate in the investigation of the newly assembled Truth Commission.

“Whatever the truth commission will do is irrelevant [because] the case is already in court,” Lentejas said.

Neri waited almost an hour for the justices to arrive in the scheduled 8:30 a.m. hearing, which started 30 minutes late. The court turned down his request not to allow media inside the courtroom

His pre-trial hearing is set on August 20.