Press Release
February 14, 2008

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada supports CBCP call for communal action

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expressed support to the call for "communal action" of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to urge a collective action from the people to find the truth and obtain justice.

Estrada appealed to the administration to heed the call of the bishops to help find the truth in the controversies hounding Malacañang, particularly the alleged overpricing and bribery involved in the $329-million national broadband network contract with ZTE Corp. of China and the "Hello Garci" tapes that exposed the alleged irregularities in the 2004 presidential elections.

He also urged Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to allow Commission on Higher Education Chairman Romulo Neri to testify in the Senate hearing on the NBN-ZTE deal and tell the truth about the controversial contract.

"Neri should testify once and for all to lay down the truth that will finally set him free and give him a clear conscience," Estrada added.

The call of the CBCP for the people to join efforts to find the truth is very timely because the people needs moral guidance in the wake of allegations of Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. that exposed the worsening corruption in government.

"Our countrymen are waiting for the guidance from the Catholic Church to pursue the crusade for morality in government," Estrada said.

He said the people should pray so that truth will prevail and corrupt government officials will be exposed and charged in court.

He said the senators should also consider the proposal to make a vote on whether to continue or stop the Senate investigation of the NBN-ZTE contract.

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