Press Release
March 12, 2008

KIKO URGES BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT PRELIM
REPORT ON ZTE

A day after the latest NBN ZTE hearing at the Senate, Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today called on the Blue Ribbon Committee to submit a preliminary report on the botched broadband deal.

"From the initial hearings, I believe we have gathered sufficient findings to merit a preliminary report from the Blue Ribbon Committee. We need to assess what we have, and get the wheels turning, both with crafting relevant legislation and recommending criminal and administrative charges against the involved government officials," Kiko said.

"Some fear that the Senate hearings will not yield results but if you think about it, had there not been this Senate inquiry, the Filipino people would still be paying the millions of dollars that this anomalous contract costs. The cancellation of the deal itself is a victory for the Senate and the people," Kiko added.

"We shouldn't stop there however. We need to punish the guilty if we are to restore fear and respect for the rule of law in this country. We can't put an end to corruption if we don't send out a strong warning that illegal acts will not be tolerated. While some also fear that the ombudsman may not give a fair trial on this, we believe that a vigilant citizenry can push for fairness and accountability. We've done this when we stopped the ChaCha express, and I believe we can do this again if we will all work together," Kiko ended.

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