ROXAS TO NEDA: RECONSIDER
INVOKING OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE
PRESENT NBN DOCUMENTS IN THE INTEREST OF TRUTH, ACCOUNTABILITY

Senator Mar Roxas hit the National Economic Development Authority for invoking 'executive privilege' in refusing to submit documents on the controversial $329-million National Broadband Network project.

"I am very disappointed with the executive's lack of openness to the public. This marks a sharp change from its cooperative stance during the second Senate hearing on NBN when several Cabinet secretaries showed up in full force," Roxas lamented.

"Ang Pangulo mismo ang nagsabi na hindi matutuloy itong kontrata, kaya ano pa yung tinatagong sikreto dito?" the Senate co-chair of the NBN hearings said.

"I urge the NEDA to reconsider its posture, in the interest of truth and accountability. We must understand that while Cabinet members have a right to invoke executive privilege, this could not be made into a permanent firewall against legitimate probes in aid of legislation," he added.

Roxas said the Senate will continue pushing for the disclosure of the documents pertaining to the feasibility of the NBN project. He will write NEDA Director-General Augusto Santos to assist the Senate probe primarily by disclosing these documents which should be made available to the public.

It will be recalled that former NEDA head Romulo Neri had admitted in the Senate hearings to have received what he saw as a bribe offer for the NBN project, but that he had recommended its approval nonetheless.

"Something is very wrong in our institutions if graft and corruption is taken as the norm in transactions using people's money," Roxas said.

"Hindi ako nagtataka na mababa ang rating ng gobyerno sa pagbibigay ligaya sa ating mga kababayan, ayon sa huling sarbey ng NSCB. Kase nakikita ni Juan dela Cruz, sa kabila ng kanyang sakripisyo dito sa EVAT, yung pera niya, kung saan-saan nagagastos, at hindi naman napapangalagaan ang pondo nito," he said.