Update: At the court martial hearing yesterday the other officers expressed support for Lozada. Brig. Gen. Renato Miranda said:”The reason we are incarcerated is because we fought for the truth, the same thing that Lozada is fighting for. Without truth, we are nothing.”
Col. Ariel Querubin: We admire him (Lozada). Pare-pareho kaming pinaglalaban- ang katotohanan.
To Neri, Querubin said, “Magpaka-Lozada ka.”
by Victor Reyes
A supposed surveillance TV camera was found to have been installed in a room in Camp Aguinaldo where a military general court martial is trying 28 Marines and Army officers implicated in the alleged power grab attempt in February 2006.
The court’s president, Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, had the camera dismantled shortly after Vicente Caoile, lawyer of accused Marine Col. Armando Bañez, informed the court of the camera pointed at the table of the defense panel.
Caoile said the camera, positioned at the top of a window and hidden behind a Christmas decor, could prejudice the defense strategy. He also noted that before the camera , about as big as a clenched fist,was silver. Yesterday it had been painted green obviously as a camouflage.
I talked with Romy Neri, one of the main characters in the scandalously overpriced NBN/ZTE deal Monday night at a US Embassy reception.
The affair was to welcome the new faces in the embassy public affairs section namely Martha Buckley, cultural attaché; Rebecca Thompson, press attaché, and Karen Schinerer, deputy press attaché.
I asked Neri, former director general of National Economic and Development Authority and now chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, about the notes of his friend Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada written October last year on “What is Neri afraid to say and why?” after his Senate testimony last year where he clammed up when the involvement of Gloria Arroyo in the $329 million telecommunications contract was asked. I carried Lozada’s notes in my column last Monday.
Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV issued the following handwritten joint statement: We praise the courage and patriotism displayed by Engr Jun…
Family fears for ex-sarge’s life
by Jay Chua
The PNP Aviation Security Group has placed SP04 Rodolfo Valeroso, a retired Army master sergeant who escorted ZTE star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. upon his arrival from Hong Kong last Feb. 5, in a “safehouse” for his safety.
Chief Supt. Atilano Morada, head of the PNP Aviation Security Group, however, said Valeroso is “not in hiding” and will “surface in due time.”
By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Sen. Joker Arroyo Monday lectured whistle-blower Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. on his supposed inconsistencies and lack of fairness and took a surprise hit in return.
At the Senate inquiry into the scuttled $329-million National Broadband Network deal, Arroyo questioned Lozada on his family’s motives for filing petitions for writs of amparo and habeas corpus even when he was already free.
The administration senator also questioned Lozada’s alleged bias for certain senators, and TV networks.
by JP Lopez
Malaya
Government and police officials yesterday failed to convince senators that ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. was not abducted as the lawmakers saw a clear effort by the executive branch to prevent him from testifying.
Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, PNP chief Avelino Razon and Alfonso Cusi, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, said Lozada was not kidnapped to prevent him from testifying.
Senate President Manny Villar said he took exception to testimonies of the law enforcement and airport officials that they were securing Lozada from possible harm.
Noong Oktubre 2006, pagkatapos lumabas si Romy Neri, dating director-general ng NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) kung saan ibinulgar niya ang offer sa kanya ni dating Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos ng P200 milyon para lang aprubahan ang ma-anomalyang NBN/ZTE deal ngunit pinrotektahan niya si Gloria Arroyo, sumulat si Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada ng kanyang saloobin tungkol sa isyu.
Alam na natin kung sino si Jun Lozada. Matalik na kaibigan ni Neri na kinuha niyang consultant sa mga proyekto sa NEDA. Si Lozada ay presidente ng Philippine Forest Corporation ngunit nag-resign siya noong isang linggo nang magdesisyon siya na magsabi ng totoo tungkol sa nalalaman niya sa kurakutan sa $349 milyon na kontrata ng NBN/ZTE.
The Catholic bishops’ leadership has called on for ‘communal action’ following Rodolfo Lozada’s expose on alleged corruption involving top public officials.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said it’s about time to liberate the country that has long been ‘captive’ to government corruption.
Lagdameo said the “confession” recently made Lozada and ousted House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. may save people from being “hostage to scandalous and shady government deals.”
I grant that when Gloria Arroyo was directing the manipulation of the results of the 2004 elections, her primary desire was to get an electoral mandate to legitimize her unelected presidency.
She was thinking perhaps that with an electoral mandate, even if acquired by cheating, she could proceed with her “Strong Republic” program.
I am saying this because while reflecting on what the investigation of the grossly overpriced NBN/ZTE deal exposed, there are persons who say that even if Gloria Arroyo cheated in the 2004 elections, people would have tolerated it as long she gave good governance. With good governance, we mean honesty and competence are given premium.