MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang scored Senate?s ?arrogance" for rejecting a compromise proposed by the Supreme Court to pave the way for former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri to testify before a congressional inquiry on the allegedly graft-ridden national broadband project.

"Frankly, we did not expect the arrogance by which the Senate slammed the compromise proposal of no less than the Chief Justice," Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo described the Senate's move as a "sad development" as she appealed to lawmakers to reconsider accepting the compromise, which would bar Senators from asking Neri three crucial questions on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's alleged involvement in the supposedly overpriced $329-million project.

"We earnestly appeal to the senators to reconsider their position on the compromise proposal of the Supreme Court," Fajardo said in a separate statement.

Fajardo called on lawmakers to take their cue from Arroyo's "statesmanship," when she scrapped Executive Order 464, which bars her appointees from appearing in legislative inquiries without her permission, on the request of Roman Catholic bishops.

"The President has responded positively by revoking EO 464. We trust that the Senate will exercise statesmanship and put the interest of the general public above anything else. The President has reached out and now we await the Senate's move," Fajardo said.