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Thursday, October 04, 2007
Gov’t to pursue broadband project but in other form: Ermita
MANILA –- Malacañang on Wednesday said the government will pursue the implementation of a national broadband project in a different form once the controversy over the ZTE contract has died down.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, in his weekly press conference, said “given that government entered into it, knowing that there is a need for it, then there will be other ways.”
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“Siguro for the moment we’ll let the situation die down muna and then look for other ways so that we can undertake a similar project that would achieve the same objective, the bottom line is, that which will benefit the greater majority of our people,” Ermita said.
He added: “It (the broadband project) is highly probable, why not. Within the term of the President.”
Ermita however said there will be no renegotiation of the ZTE deal.
He said that for the next broadband deal, there should be a government-to-government understanding or a memorandum of understanding on how the Philippine government could be helped, adding that there should also be a loan at “very concessional rates.”
He also said the project should be finished before the end of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term in 2010.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye announced the cancellation of the $329.41-million national broadband network (NBN) contract with ZTE Corporation after President Arroyo held bilateral talks in China with Chinese President Hu Jintao Tuesday.
Bunye said Arroyo, during the 30-minute bilateral talks, “explained the difficult decision not to continue with the NBN project” and asked China for understanding. He said Hu, in turn, offered understanding and said that the relationship between the Philippines and China “is in good shape.”
According to Ermita, the cancellation of the ZTE deal will not totally resolve the political tension it brought to the country because there will always be people who will try to insert the political equation into the picture.
He tried to downplay the possibility that the cancellation of the ZTE deal would bring about an image of the Philippine government that does not honor contracts due to political tensions.
He said the executive agreement has not yet been completed so there is no final agreement yet.
Ermita said the probe in the Senate has already lost its relevance with the cancellation of the contract and the resignation of Elections chair Benjamin Abalos Sr.
“It would somehow bring down the political tension. And so because of that, it depends now on the senators whether they think there’s still relevance as far as the hearings are concerned,” he said.
He said Malacañang will no longer investigate the bribery allegations but will leave the matter to the Ombudsman so as not to “clutter up the entire system.”
“In the end, the result of the proceedings in the Senate would eventually end up in the Ombudsman. And let's see what the Ombudsman will do after that,” said Ermita. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (October 4, 2007 issue)
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