SENATE President Manuel Villar yesterday
warned President Arroyo against "honoring" the National
Broadband Network (NBN) contract with Chinese firm ZTE Corp.,
saying it is tantamount to exonerating government officials and
private individuals who packaged the overpriced project.
"Lalakas ang loob ng mga may kasalanan, dahil
wala namang mapaparusahan," Villar said in a radio interview.
Arroyo on Thursday insisted that her
government would have to honor contracts and agreements with
foreign companies as long as they are legal.
COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos yesterday
branded as "ridiculous" accusations detailed in an affidavit of
Jose "Joey" de Venecia III in relation to the P329 million
National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.
"I don’t know what to say anymore… Sobra na.
Now he is saying that I am a bugger? That is incredible," Abalos
said in a phone interview.
De Venecia is stockholder of Amsterdam
Holdings Inc. one of two companies that lost to the Chinese firm
ZTE Corp. The other is Arescom, an American company based in San
Francisco, California.
Apostol backs call on 3
justices to sacrifice ambition
BY REGINA BENGCO
CHIEF presidential legal counsel Sergio
Apostol yesterday advised the three Sandiganbayan justices who
convicted former President Joseph Estrada of plunder Tuesday to
decline any nomination to the Supreme Court so as not to put
President Arroyo in a difficult situation.
The names of the three, Justices Teresita de
Castro, Francisco Villaruz and Diosdado Peralta, have been
included in the list submitted by the Bar and Judicial Council
for the President’s consideration for appointment to the
tribunal.
"Para hindi na maipit ang Presidente, they
should withdraw their nomination. Parang iyong nangyari kay
Justice (Gregory) Ong," he said.
