Press Release
September 13, 2007

Villar lauds SC TRO on ZTE deal

Senate President Manny Villar welcomed the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the $330-million national broadband network contract between the Philippine government and China's ZTE Corp.

The high court issued the TRO based on petitions filed by Iloilo Vice-Governor Rolex Suplico and Amsterdam Holdings Inc. The court gave respondents five days to comment on the TRO.

"This should serve as a stern warning to all government officials that we cannot toy with national interest and the citizens' right to information," the Senate President said.

"We cannot allow this filth to be simply swept under the rug," Villar stressed.

"As taxpayers, the public must be informed of the salient stipulations in the contract, the loan for which shall be eventually paid with taxes from the hard-earned money of our people starting 2010. Our foreign debt is at stake here," the Senate President said.

"Let the ax fall where it should."

"We laud the Supreme Court for its expeditious action," said Villar, who is also president of the Nacionalista Party.

Villar earlier called for the cancellation of the controversial deal, "With the mess sullying the broadband deal, it is best to cancel it. There are many things which need to be explained, many personalities involved concerning a huge amount, and we could not even justify why we need to borrow a substantial sum when specifics have not been set."

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