WHEN former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Romulo Neri testified at the Senate last September regarding the controversial national broadband network (NBN) project, many people expected him to help them figure out just how much the president knew about the alleged anomalies that were being connected with it, and what she may have done about these. Neri, however, declined to reply to queries that were leading to that direction, invoking executive privilege.

CHED Chairman Romulo Neri [photo courtesy of Senate]To say that people were left disappointed is putting it lightly. Indeed, even though the executive order that created it has now been revoked, “executive privilege” remains a topic of debates and discussions across the country, and has become a bogey of sorts for those who want to scrutinize government projects and programs.

In an i Report Perspective piece, lawyer Nepomuceno Malaluan of the Action for Economic Reforms takes us through the short but sorry saga of the executive privilege and examines from a legal point of view the arguments for and against invoking it. The article also looks at the issue in the context of the NBN deal, and tries to see whose interests were being served when the privilege was invoked.

Read more of Malaluan’s assessment at pcij.org.

5 Responses to Questionable privilege?

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jcc

March 8th, 2008 at 10:19 pm

In US vs. Nixon, the clash of interest was against the fair administration of criminal justice, specifically against a subpoena for the production of evidence in a pending criminal case.

The Senate had premised its right to compel Neri to testify under its broad investigatory power to investigate “in aid of legislation”. The Nixon case privilege claim was rejected because the evidence sought to be produced by US Congress refers to a pending crimnal case brought against his top aides.

There is no pending case brought against Abalos and company about the ZTE deal of which the Neri-GMA conversation may prove the existence of the payoff atempt by Abalos hence the privilege can be invoked.

The issue of privilege though is water under the bridge now because GMA has already waived/revoked it.

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rburke

March 13th, 2008 at 12:27 am

Mabuhay ka Poneps..Isa kang tunay na Gabay ng Sambayanang Pilipino..May your tribe increase..

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jemasan1

March 13th, 2008 at 10:48 am

NERI is nothing…………….
Dumalo man si NERI sa hearing wala na ring kwenta ang sasabihin niya,alam na rin natin na totoo sa dapat nyang sabihin sa senate.Ang problema ay masyadong malakas ang ginagawang pagtatakip ng GMA government sa ZTE deal.Ewan ko kung ano na talaga ang mangyayari sa susunod pang mga araw,kung tatablan pa ng hiya si Gloria,kasi matapang talaga ang apog niya at saka hindi siya talaga bababa sa pwesto dahil oras na umalis siya sa malacanang,Kulong ang aabutin ng mga cohorts nya at pamilya at kahihiyan sa buong mundo sila.Kaya ang gagawin nila talaga ay magkaroon ng CHA-CHA para bago dumating ang 2010,nasa plano na siguro yan kaya nga tinanggal si JDV sa congress para monopoly na ang lower congress.Itaga nyo mga guys iyan ang susunod na gagawin ng mga tuta ni GMA.
Mahihirapan na tayo para mapaalis sa pwesto si GMA,una nasa position na lahat ang kailangan nya para hindi na siya maalis sa pwesto.Nandyan ang Private army nya ang AFP at PNP,hawak narin nya ang kalahati ng mga bishops sa simbahang katoliko at iba pang secta na tulad ni Mike Velarde at Manalo ng INC,pati na SUPREME COURT natin.Takot din ang mga justices sa AFP,kaya rin silang ipadukot ni GMA,kaya puro delayed ang nagiging desisyon nila at pinapalamig muna ang desisyon bagi ilabas para makalimutan ng mga tao.Iyan ang ginagawang technics ng SUPREME COURT.Pati ibang media na sikat tulad ni Mike Enriquez at Mel Tiangco na takot mag comment sa mga issues pag tungkol kay GMA,si Joel Ayala Zobel lang talaga matapang bumatikos kay GMA.Ang layo nila sa mga reporter ng ABS-CBN2 na tulad ni Korina at Ted Failon etc.Sobra ang kaba ng GMA7 sa Gloria government.
Ang PTV4,RPN9,IBC13 lagi nalang ginagamit ni Gloria sa ere para sirain ang lahat ng kontra sa kanya,pagtakpan ang katiwalian ng government ni GMA halos magpakamatay sa pagtatanggol sa kanya ang lahat ng mga reporters nila.Wala na sa katwiran ang paliwanag nla sa station.Iyan ang problema kaya wala na tayong pag-asa pa sa GMA.Dumating man 2010 ay hindi natin mapapaalis siya sa pwesto.Gagawa at gawin ang lahat ng paraan par manatili yan,itaga man ninyo sa bato mga guys.

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john4nature

March 13th, 2008 at 1:46 pm

Saganang akin, malaki pa rin ang tiwala ko kay Secretary Neri, Bigyan lang eto ng pagkakataon magsalita, baka magulat ang lahat kung bila etong kumanta.

I presumed hindi niya hahayaang madumihan ang kanyang reputasyon at pangnalan dahil lang sa digta ng Malacanyang. As I see it, he is a good public servant, may dignidad.

Tama ba? Mr. Jun Lozada, o kaya paki tanong sa mga taga NEDA kung tama ako. He is a good man.

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rburke

March 13th, 2008 at 10:53 pm

Si Neri ay nasa dark side na..tingin ko may deep dark secret yan na tinatago kaya ayaw pumunta sa liwanag at baka ilabas ito ng malacanang…

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