“IT ain’t no sin if you crack a few laws now and then, just so long as you don’t break any.” That was how the Sandiganbayan concluded its decision junking the remaining corruption case against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the $329-million national broadband network (NBN) project involving the Chinese multinational company ZTE Corporation. Arroyo, together with her husband former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and former Commission on Election chair Benjamin Abalos, was charged with two counts of graft for allowing the NBN-ZTE deal to push through despite not going through the proper process. Our courts have not allowed themselves to be swayed by public opinion or perception,” the lawyer said in a statement. As a matter of fact, there was no evidence introduced on who made the payment,” the ruling read. “Even assuming arguendo [for the sake of argument]that the NBN contract is admissible, and assuming further that it became effective and was never cancelled, the prosecution failed to prove that it is grossly and manifestly disadvantageous to the Government,” it said. Arroyo was charged with one count each of violation of Section 3 (g) and 3 (i) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 7 (d) of RA 6713 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees in connection with the NBN deal, which was allegedly overpriced by more than 50 percent of its actual cost of $130 million.
The Sandiganbayan court clears former Philippines president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the national broadband corruption scandal.