Press Release
October 4, 2007

Villar: 'No one can influence independence of the Senate'

Senate President Manny Villar today asserted that the Senate cannot be manipulated to serve the needs of influential and powerful parties, especially in the conduct of Senate investigations on questionable transactions of government.

"Our sworn duty as senators is to serve and protect the interest of the Filipino people, and that included the 70 percent of the entire population who are poor. We remain committed to the pursuit of truth and to deliver quality legislation that will spell the difference in our people's lives," Villar said.

Villar also disproved the allegation that he is blocking the continuation of the Senate inquiry on the $329 million ZTE-National Broadband Network deal.

Villar believed this allegation is meant to discredit him as Senate president and question the independence of the institution he heads inspite of his numerous pronouncement in media and the public that he is after the continuation of the hearings.

"I have always said that we should allow the hearings to be fully completed and wait for the committee recommendations on this matter. We are also conducting this investigation in order to come up with legislation that will make transactions of this nature transparent and open to public scrutiny," he said.

In a radio interview this morning, Villar denied allegations that he is intervening in the holding of hearings on the broadband deal after talking with a powerful and influential businessman.

"This is precisely why I have been working hard, juggling politics with my business ventures, so I can earn my own money and finance my own activities. Di kami nagkakausap niyang nabanggit na businessman na iyan at hindi naman ako ganyan kalapit sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako mauutusan niyan," Villar said.

Villar added that he cannot influence the senators who head the three committees investigating the broadband deal, as he has always respected and trusted their judgment and expertise in handling the affairs of their committees.

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