Inquirer.net’s Lira Dalangin reports that:

With the controversial national broadband network (NBN) contract with China’s ZTE Corp. cancelled by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Malacañang believes the investigation by the Senate of the scandal-ridden deal should be terminated.

Press and acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Malacañang would write the Senate asking it to end its investigation into the contract, which was tainted by allegations of massive bribery. The President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, was also linked to the controversial deal.

This is the kind of impunity that’s the hallmark of the Arroyo administration. Its the kind of mentality that fosters graft and corruption.

Its good that the NBN contract with ZTE has been scrapped but that does not end the issue. Officials should explain and heads should roll so that the government and the people will learn lessons. There are many questions left unanswered by the scrapping of the ZTE contract and by Benjamin Abalos’s resignation.

Stopping the probe is not good for the country. It will only be good for the lying, stealing and thieving officialdom of the Arroyo administration because another probe will be ended and they will be free to do their evil deeds somewhere else, like the Department of Education which is set to implement a more expensive and more scandalous project.

Senate President Manny Villar and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano are well advised to continue the hearings until the truth is discovered and the first steps towards prosecuting the law violators is taken.  They should not allow themselves take dictations from an unelected executive official (Bunye) serving an unelected president (Arroyo). They have a duty to the people.