MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE) Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has received the subpoena for her appearance at the Sandiganbayan hearing on the national broadband network agreement with China?s ZTE Corp., but did not give a clear answer if she would attend.

?Since this involves a legal matter, we are referring the subpoena to whoever will be the legal counsel for advice. ? As soon as we have the advice of counsel, we will inform you promptly,? Elena Bautista-Horn, Arroyo?s spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.

Horn said they needed to be certain that the subpoena was ?legally appropriate and would not violate any of her Constitutional or legal rights.?
Horn confirmed receiving a copy of the subpoena duces tecum coursed through the Office of Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap of the House of Representatives Tuesday at 11:49 a.m.
Arroyo is being asked to appear in the hearing to testify on the extent of authority of former Social Security Systems chairman Romulo Neri in approving the agreement.

In the subpoena issued by lawyer Ma. Teresa Pabulayan, executive clerk of court III, Arroyo is ?commanded to appear before the Sandiganbayan Fifth division? on October 13 and 28 and November 11 at 8:30 a.m.

Arroyo herself has been accused of pushing for the US$329-million contract, but charges against her were dropped because of her immunity from suits then.

The deal was allegedly overpriced by about US$130-million to cover kickbacks.

Neri was the director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) when the government signed the contract with ZTE Corp.

The project called for the installation of a telecommunications network linking government offices throughout the country.

The agreement was sealed on April 21, 2007, with then President Arroyo witnessing the contract signing between then Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and ZTE vice president Yu Yong in China.