Arroyo: I learned about ZTE mess on eve of signing deal

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Saturday said she learned that something was wrong about the Philippine government's $329.48-million National Broadband Network project with China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp the night before she witnessed the signing of the NBN-ZTE contract.

Mrs Arroyo told radio dzRH that the day before she witnessed the signing of the NBN-ZTE contract on April 21, 2007 in Boao, China, she was advised about the supposed irregularities in the project.

However, she said she could not readily terminate the deal that would be funded through a loan from the Chinese government.

On September 22, 2007, or five months after she knew about the ZTE mess, and during the height of NBN-ZTE controversy that was linked to her husband, Mrs Arroyo canceled the NBN-ZTE contract.

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