GMA’s lawyer: Sandigan ruling to stop Gloria testimony in ZTE-NBN case
By Benjamin B. Pulta 11/03/2010A lawyer of former President Arroyo urged her critics to honor the Sandiganbayan decision to quash the subpoena for her to testify in the anti-graft court’s proceedings on the aborted $329-million National Broadband Network-ZTE deal, citing pending proceedings in the Supreme Court.
In a statement, former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza insisted that the graft court ruling is backstopped by the Bill of Rights which does not distinguish among the accused claiming those rights.
“Section 12 (1), Article III of the Constitution (Bill of Rights), which embodies the right to remain silent, is clear and explicit,” Mendoza said, adding that “it applies to any person under investigation for the commission of an offense”.
“There can be no question that Congresswoman Arroyo, the former President, is under investigation for her alleged involvement in the NBN-ZTE transaction and the complaints against her are now pending before the Supreme Court,” Mendoza pointed out.
Mendoza issued the statement in reply to a published position by eminent constitutionalist Joaquin Bernas who said that Arroyo cannot refuse to take the stand in the Sandigan NBN-ZTE case against former Arroyo ally Romulo Neri..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101103hed3.html
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