Monday, March 10, 2008 Arroyo told not to curtail truth
CALLS for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign are a personal decision, which should not be forced on her, a Baguio City councilor said.
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda issued the statement in reaction to the clamor for the President to step down over the recent scandal hounding her administration -- the aborted national broadband network (NBN) deal with China's ZTE Corporation.
However, Tabanda said the President should allow the truth to come out and not curtail information that could resolve the issues.
The councilor is an appointee of the President as commissioner to the Constitutional Commission (ConCom).
After revelations that First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. received bribes from the deal, various sectors called for the President's resignation.
The President has challenged those accusing her and her husband to file charges at the proper forum as she said she will never resign and vowed to stay on until her term ends in 2010.
The Supreme Court (SC), meanwhile, has yet to issue its decision on whether Commission on Higher Education (Ched) chairman Romulo Neri could invoke executive privilege in refusing to appear in the Senate hearing on the questionable NBN contract.
The Senate has rejected the compromise deal earlier suggested by the SC, which could have paved the way for Neri to testify in the Upper Chamber.
NBN star witness Rodolfo Jun Lozada is busy touring the country. (RO)
