A suspicious shroud of secrecy

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The awarding of the National Broadband Network deal to Chinese firm ZTE may have been cancelled, fortunately nipped in the bud by massive media exposure and the ensuing Senate investigation. However, persistent questions regarding the can of worms known as the NBN are still being asked. Government officials have been making pronouncements regarding the project being aboveboard and its numerous noble intentions, but every time the Senate asks for more information the people involved quickly hide under the skirt of "executive privilege."

In the continuing investigation of this highly questionable project, in the Senate's attempt to discover the reasons behind the approval of the NBN despite a bribe attempt that was reported to the President herself, details of the deliberations on the NBN by the National Economic Development Authority - Investment Coordination Committee are being sought. This request has been denied, with NEDA General Director Augusto Santos citing "executive privilege" yet again as the ever convenient reason for that denial.

The NBN scandal refuses to die down simply because of this administration's propensity to hide certain facts and details from the public, which naturally gives the impression that something is being covered up at all costs. After all, if this government really has nothing to hide then it wouldn't be going out of its way to exploit what is supposed to be a privilege to deny the Senate, as well as the people, access to information that does not pose a threat to national security. Or maybe the threat is to the security of tenure of the Chief Executive of this country?*