Palace should back off; FG Mike should be compelled to testify
Youth groups Anakbayan and League of Filipino Students (LFS) last week led UP students in a picket protest at the UP Oblation in Diliman demanding the immediate resumption of the Senate hearings on the ZTE.
The students made the demand in light of reports that the Senate hearings might be suspended for a month, until the resumption of regular sessions on November 5, due to lack of caucus. No further hearings have been scheduled for the week.
“There should be no delays, no breaks and no excuses on the ZTE investigations. We want the truth and we want it now,” said Anakbayan vice-chairperson Sarah Katrina Maramag.
Maramag said that Malacanang is even now trying to water down the relevance of the Senate ZTE hearings via Abalos’ resignation and the cancellation of the ZTE contract.
“We have no time to lose. As we speak, the Arroyo administration is doing all it can to turn this scandal into yet another forgettable event without anyone being held accountable for the grand-scale bribery and corruption that has obviously taken place,” she said.
She said that Abalos’ resignation and the cancellation of the ZTE contract have done nothing to assauge students’ clamor for transparency and accountability.
“We want to see FG in the hot seat’
Maramag said that it is more imperative that the ZTE hearings continue without delay now that FG Mike Arroyo has returned to the Philippines.
“FG Mike should be compelled to testify since he is too quick to deny accusations against him. He should also ‘explain before he complains’,” Maramag said.
Anakbayan said that they would also hold their own ’student hearings on the ZTE’ by conducting series of forums and symposia in campuses.
“We are inviting all those involved to face students and answer questions.”
1 response so far ↓
1 sarah katrina maramag // Oct 24, 2007 at 9:44 pm
thanks for posting this
- from a kapwa alumni
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