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MALACAÑANG should restore the people’s trust in the
country’s institutions by releasing the documents on the
National Economic Development Authority-Investment
Coordinating Committee’s approval of the controversial
national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE deal.
This was
urged by Sen. Mar Roxas II on Thursday, pointing out the
incongruity of the Neda employees themselves wanting to
have them publicized and unable to hide their discontent
over “how transparency is not being exercised in
relation to the NBN deal.”
“It’s a
resounding call for the truth in governance and for
integrity of their institution that the government could
not dare ignore,” he said. “The Neda employees could not
stand how information that’s normally public is being
concealed. They don’t want to be used in the continued
stonewalling of the truth.”
Roxas
was strongly vexed at how Palace executives continued to
stonewall and use delaying tactics on efforts to release
the Neda-ICC documents on the NBN, such as asking for
more than 90 days’ worth of extension to submit their
comments on the petition that he and fellow senator
Noynoy Aquino filed in court on October 26, 2007.
The
Arroyo administration “adopted a ‘minimal disclosure
policy’ through the incorrect and irresponsible use of
‘executive privilege.’ This is what we seek to correct
through this petition, and even with this, they are
stonewalling instead of facing the issue squarely.”
“These
documents are key to finding out the root of this
fiasco: on how and why the government suddenly decided
that the NBN—previously a private-sector,
build-operate-transfer project, with no government
expense or guarantee—will be engaged as a
government-funded project, with a loan to be shouldered
by the public,” he added.
At the
same time, the United Opposition (UNO) backed the call
of Neda employees for Malacañang to order the disclosure
of documents on how the $329-million NBN deal with
Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Co. was transacted.
“The
call of the Neda employees for the release of
information and documents on the ZTE deal shows the
utter disconnect and the difference in values of the GMA
administration with government employees at the ground
level. Unlike the current administration, the Neda
employees adhere to the democratic principles of
transparency and accountability and refuse to hide
information of public concern with misplaced claims of
executive privilege,” said UNO spokesman Adel Tamano.
UNO
Metro Manila chairman Mayor JV Ejercito of San Juan said
the Neda employees’ call for transparency is an
inspiration to the public, “knowing that there are large
groups of men and women in government who are both
capable, honest, and have the courage to fight for truth
and accountability in government.”
In their
statement, the 1,200 employees grouped into the
Organization of Neda Employees (ONE) said the “continued
withholding of these documents has wrought the most
damage to Neda’s integrity and credibility.”
The ONE
executive committee, in an accompanying statement, said
“the official release of these documents will avoid
manipulation or fabrication of information.”
Among
the documents at issue are the Investment Coordination
Committee (ICC) Secretariat Letters/Notices on project
approval, Neda Board confirmation, the approved Project
Evaluation Reports by the ICC Technical Board, Cabinet
committee and Neda Board, and the Neda Board
resolutions.
ONE
vice-president for external affairs Aladin Ancheta said
disclosure of these documents would show that the Neda
technical staffers were not involved in the NBN-ZTE’s
questionable transactions; and these documents would
also prove the need for a “truly independent economic
and planning agency.”
The Neda
Board is composed of the President as chairman, and the
secretary of socioeconomic planning and Neda
director-general as vice chairmen. The members are the
Executive Secretary, the secretaries of the Departments
of Finance, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Environment
and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways, Budget
and Management, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local
Government, Health, Foreign Affairs, Agrarian Reform,
Science and Technology, Transportation and
Communication, Energy, and the Deputy Governor of the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Acting
Director-General Augusto Santos has refused to disclose
these documents, despite the standard operating
procedure of disclosure and transparency in Neda prior
to the NBN-ZTE deal.
Sens.
Manuel Roxas II and Benigno Aquino III have filed a
petition in the Supreme Court for the release of the
documents. The petition is pending. |
