SENATE-PALACE SHOWDOWN LOOMS
OVER INVOCATION OF EXEC. PRIVILEGE
"A government that has nothing to hide has nothing to fearKiko"

Following the refusal of Acting NEDA Director-General Augusto Santos to produce subpoenaed documents concerning the botched NBN ZTE deal, Senate Majority Leader Kiko Pangilinan today warned that unless Malacanang changes its position, a clash with the Palace is "not only imminent, but inevitable."

"Evidently, there exists a mismatch of interests between the Executive and the Legislative branches of government. We want to know who nearly got away with this anomalous transaction; we want to know the truth. Malacanang, on the other hand, is obviously bent on blocking the free flow of information regarding the matter."

Santos invoked "executive privilege" in his defiance to submit the documents containing the minutes of a meeting wherein NEDA's former head and now Commission on Higher Education (Ched) Chairman Romulo Neri supposedly rejected the NBN ZTE project's approval.

After Neri confirmed at the Senate probe last September 26 that former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos tried to bribe him to endorse the broadband deal, Abalos resigned and President Gloria Arroyo immediately ordered Palace executives to snub the subsequent hearings.

"Anong klaseng sikreto ba ang kanilang itinatago at hindi nila magawang ipaalam ito sa publiko? A government that has nothing to hide has nothing to fear. Umaalingasaw na po ang bahong nilikha ng maanomalyang kontrata, hindi na nila ito puwedeng itago," said Kiko.

Kiko assured the public that the Senate will continue to assert its independence and will not waver in its task to expose the truth behind the corruption-tainted NBN ZTE deal.

"We will not allow this situation wherein the Senate is prevented from exercising its constitutional duty to act as an independent check and balance on the executive branch," said Kiko.