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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Ombud junks motion to summon Arroyo over NBN probe (6:10 p.m.)
MANILA -- The special investigation panel created by the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday junked a motion to summon President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to answer criminal offenses imputed against her on alleged anomalies surrounding the US$329 million national broadband network (NBN) project.
Lawyer Harry Roque made the motion couched on the Supreme Court (SC) pronouncements in the case of Estrada vs. Desierto that scrapped the theory of absolute immunity for an incumbent chief executive.
Deputy Ombudsman and panel chairman Emilio Gonzales however said the committee denied Roque's motion on the ground that the ongoing inquiry will determine basis for criminal prosecution not just a possible impeachment complaint against Arroyo.
"The denial is very material because our complaint against our primary respondent has been dismissed on what I think and believe to be based on flawed legal grounds. I would now like time to prepare for my legal challenge against the order of this panel," Roque said.
Arroyo was accused of dereliction of official duties and obstruction for failure to act on the report of Higher Education Secretary Romulo Neri that he was offered a P200 million bribe to make a favorable recommendation on the ZTE proposal.
Roque and former Vice President Teofisto Guingona also sought Arroyo's indictment for graft over alleged injury caused to the government by her actions and unwarranted benefits extended to other parties.
The lawyer, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the High Court will reverse the decision of the Ombudsman. (Sunnex)
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