ROXAS: "WE DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS"
CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO ACT NOW TO SAVE THE REPUBLIC

Malolos, Bulacan - Senator Mar Roxas said the people deserve better than what the government is doing to address the current political crisis, which stemmed from anomalies involved with the government's contract with ZTE Corp. of China for a National Broadband Network (NBN) project.

"We are a great nation. We are a great people. We deserve better than this," he said, speaking before an inter-city Rotary Club gathering here.

"Kung nakikita ko na ganito ang kalagayan natin at napakalungkot naman, at hindi lang ako nalulungkot, naiinis ako, dumating na ako sa nakakagalit na, at talaga namang imposible, parang ginagago na tayo," he said.

The senator lamented that the country is being left behind in the global economy because the leadership is too involved in the struggle for political survival.

"We are missing out on trade opportunities because the government has become too entangled in a web of corruption and deceit. The default for our youth is simply to go abroad," he said.

Roxas called on the government to "save the Republic:" to respond with sincerity and earnestness to the people's demand for the truth. He stressed that the people have the right to demand the truth from their leaders.

For one, he said the government should immediately lift Executive Order 464 and all other restraints on all officials invited by the Senate to testify on the ZTE-NBN contract. It should also grant the Senate full and untrammeled access to all pertinent documents in the files of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Transportation and Communications on the deal.

He said the President should instruct all her cabinet officials and police officials to attend all investigations, not only the Senate's but also the Department of Justice and the Ombudsman. Those who do not follow, he said, should be suspended.

"Ang gusto ko ay magbago ang ating sitwasyon. Ang gusto ko ho ay maging proud tayo, na maipagmamalaki natin yung mga nangyayari sa ating bansa," he said.

"Ang gusto ko ay yung ating passport pag pumasok tayo sa ibang bansa, hinahangaan at hindi pinagtatawanan. Ang gusto ko ho ang ating mga kababayan, ang ating mga kabataan ay makakahanap ng kanilang trabaho dito sa ating bansa at hindi sa ibang bansa," he stressed.