Press Release
September 5, 2008

SC decision on Neri case ominous, says Villar

Senate President Manny Villar today assailed the Supreme Court decision favoring the use of executive privilege to hide the truth on the anomalous $329 million broadband deal as an 'ominous sign of things to come.'

"This is a dark portent of things to come. With this decision, we now see how cases will be decided in the future. This could be viewed as a prelude of how the issue of charter change will be decided," Villar said.

Villar, also the Nacionalista Party president, said the Supreme Court ruling is "a big step backward for our efforts to uphold transparency and accountability in government."

"I am hopeful that this will not encourage corruption in the bureaucracy, with high officials invoking executive privilege to escape prosecution for wrongdoing," he said.

Villar said the Supreme Court decision is lamentable as this will weaken the twin principles of transparency and accountability in public service in the long run.

"I pray that this decision will not compromise the performance of Congress of its oversight functions that has proven in history to be the bane of grafters and incompetents in the executive department," he said.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court voting 9-6, upheld its March 25 ruling that former Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri properly invoked executive privilege in the Senate investigation on the National Broadband deal with ZTE Corp.

"Let me assure the people that despite this ruling, the Senate under my leadership will remain vigilant and independent and will continue to exercise its Constitutional mandate to provide a system of check and balance in government," Villar said.

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