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Monday, February 18, 2008
Senator asks committee to subpoena ZTE officials (4:12 p.m.)
MANILA -- Senator Aquilino Pimentel on Monday formally asked the Senate to subpoena officials of China's Zhong Xing Telecommunication Corporation (ZTE) as well as the commercial attaché of the Chinese Embassy in Manila to attend the ongoing inquiry on the controversial telecommunication deal.
Pimentel said ZTE president Yu Yung and commercial attaché Fan Yang should be issued subpoena to shed light regarding the alleged overprice and bribery involving the broadband network deal entered into by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) with the Chinese company.
"We should summon Mr. Yu Yung since we have been investigating the crooks in the government but we also have to investigate those who are corrupting them," he said.
"Even if she (Fan Yang) is a diplomat and enjoy certain diplomatic privileges, we can issue her a subpoena and if she refuses we can declare her a persona non-grata so that he Chinese government can replace her," he added.
Earlier, ZTE said its officials will not appear at the ongoing Senate inquiry and even threatened to file charges against those who have accused it of corruption.
"ZTE cannot allow itself to dragged into any political circus," the company said in a statement issued by Howard Xue last week, the first statement made since the controversy broke out.
The company likewise said the controversy will bring negative influence on economic cooperation between China and the Philippines. (AH/Sunnex) |
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