Arroyo charged before Sandiganbayan for NBN deal
by Lorenz Niel Santos and Chichi Conde, InterAksyon.com | News5

  MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the allegedly anomalous $329-million national broadband network contract with China‘s ZTE Corp. before the Sandiganbayan.

Malacanang welcomed the filing of the case, saying it would bring closure to the NBN scandal.

“The Filipino people have long been waiting for closure and this is the process by which we as a people can get closure,” Palace deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

The case is officially the first graft complaint against Arroyo, now second district representative of Pampanga, to be brought before the anti-graft court and stems from a complaint filed by the party-list group Bayan Muna in September.

The case will be raffled off on January 2, Renato Bocar, Sandiganbayan spokesman said.

Once assigned, Bocar said the court would determine if there is probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest.

Arroyo faces two counts for violating the Anti-Graft Law and one count for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

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