BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
VICE President Noli de Castro yesterday said
no one could "dictate" on him what to say and what stand to
take.
De Castro made the statement in an ambush
interview after the Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Various groups calling for Arroyo’s ouster
have been asking him to make a stand on the allegations of
corruption against the President.
"Sabi ng ibang grupo e wala pa akong stand.
Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hanggang ngayon wala pa akong
stand e ang dami ko nang sinabi. Pero sabi ko walang sinuman ang
puwedeng magdikta sa akin kung ano ang sasabihin ko," De Castro
said.
In a statement, De Castro said that from the
start, he has stated that he wants to know the truth in all the
corruption allegations. This is why, he said, he favors the
continuation of investigations.
De Castro said he also favors the scrapping
of Executive Order 464 which is being invoked by Arroyo
officials in evading congressional investigations like on the
NBN-ZTE deal.
The Senate is investigating allegations of
payoffs and other anomalies in the national broadband network
project that Arroyo awarded to the Chinese firm ZTE Corp. Arroyo
cancelled the project last year amid the allegations which
triggered renewed calls for her ouster.
De Castro called on those who may have
information to come out.
"The public deserves the whole truth but let
it not be for anyone’s political gain. Instead it should be to
build a stronger nation," he said.
"The public needs to be more vigilant than
ever before. The search for the truth should not stop when we
see what we want to see. The truth should lead to collective
action, not for or against any individual or institution, but
rather for the rebuilding of our nation," he added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the
Palace "definitely" believes that De Castro, who assumes the
presidency in case Arroyo resigns or is ousted, is still an
administration ally.
De Castro, asked about his relationship with the President,
said, "We are fine, thank you."
