Aquino advises Jun Lozada to just face charges

**Retz** · June 8th, 2013 12:11 PM

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III denied Tuesday that his administration was harassing whistleblower Rodolfo Noel "Jun" Lozada, who is facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan.

Aquino told reporters that the NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should instead face the charges against him.

"That harassment (issue), the cases that he's facing now were filed against him even before I assumed (office), it's in the record. If he thinks he should not be harassed by absolving him from his cases, it's not in my jurisdiction," he said.

He added that if he meddled on Lozada's case before the anti-graft court, he might be the one to be charged.

Aquino recalled that the last time he talked with Lozada, the latter told him that he was ready to defend himself and to prove his innocence.

Lozada, who used to be the president and chief executive officer of the government-owned Philippine Forest Corporation (Philforest) during the Arroyo government, sought Aquino's help to get the necessary documents from the agency to prove that he was not guilty of the graft charges against him.

The President said he advised Lozada to provide the Office of the Executive Secretary of the list of documents he needed, but as of now he has not submitted any.

He also noted that at least two of his allies - Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Nereus Acosta and Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca - are also facing separate cases before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

But he was not meddling on their cases because it is against the Constitution.

"He (Lozada) said that he could defend himself, then why don't you do it, instead of raising several issues," he said.

In 2008, Lozada testified before a Senate investigation on the questionable $329-million national broadband network deal that the Arroyo administration entered into with Chinese ZTE Corp.

Because of the controversies hounding the project, Arroyo decided to drop the deal.

But after his expose during the previous administration, Lozada was charged for allegedly granting separate leasehold rights over public lands to his brother and to a private firm connected to him.

Source: President Aquino advises NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada to just face charges | Sun.Star

**111prez** · June 8th, 2013 12:24 PM

Mahirap maging Presidente

Sala sa init, sala sa lamig

**shadow** · June 8th, 2013 12:27 PM

eh gago pala itong si lozada eh, gusto niya i-drop lahat ng charges sa kanya ng corruption dahil nun time na head siya ng agency eh meron silang ginawang kalokohan ng kapatid niya...

**CVT** · June 8th, 2013 12:51 PM

Gago talaga iyang ungas na iyan...na Lozada

Ano siya hilo ???

Nagkasala ka, magdusa ka...

At huwag makialam ang mga Brothers ng DLSU at ibang religious groups....

**macsd** · June 8th, 2013 01:32 PM

He better just commit suicide, Satan is waiting for him.
Cry baby ass hole :hang:

**Retz** · June 9th, 2013 12:31 AM

Ung mga madre lang naman naniniwala at nakiki iyak dito kay crying boy.

**Monseratto** · June 9th, 2013 10:02 AM

Maraming siyang "alam" dahil partido siya sa corruption... Even before PNoy was eleected, many in the then opposition were saying this guy is very corrupt.

He had a interview with DZBB lately...same rehahed claim that Sec. Ochoa was protecting the complainant against him because bata daw ng kanyang bayaw, who owns NSJB...ZZZzzz. How petty!

Jun Lozada: Why is Arroyo's man still in power?

MANILA, Philippines - Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada has more whistles to blow.

In a press conference Saturday, April 6, the whistleblower in the anomalous NBN-ZTE deal presented to an audience of less than 50 the "interconnections" of individuals in business and in government who may be behind the graft cases filed against him.

He said there are people behind Erwin Santos, current president of state-run Philippine Forest Corporation (Philforest), and the sole complainant in Lozada's pending graft cases. The cases were filed against Lozada as chief executive officer of Philforest, which is a subsidiary of the Natural Resources Development Corp-Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Santos was already with the company prior to becoming president.

"We were simply asking why is the complainant of [former President] Arroyo against me being appointed by the Aquino administration?" Lozada said, explaining what triggered him to conduct research that led to the unraveling of a web of connections among Arroyo cohorts.

In a Powerpoint presentation, Lozada narrated that former environment secretary Lito Atienza, who "recruited Santos" to testify against him, was a close mentor of construction magnate Jose "Jerry" Acuzar. Acuzar is the owner of the Samar headquarters of the campaign of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III in 2010.

The Noy-Bi (Noynoy-Binay) campaign in Samar was headed by Acuzar's brother-in-law Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa, who was the city administrator of Quezon City during Sonny Belmonte's term as Mayor and who is now Aquino's Executive Secretary. Ochoa was allegedly instrumental in the appointment of Santos, allowing him to stay in government and to serve as Philforest president.

Lozada, who formerly occupied Santos' current post, is facing two counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan 4th Division. Both cases are related to his work at Philforest. The graft charges were filed over alleged fraudulent grants of land lease contracts for public lands administered by Philforest.

One of the contracts was allegedly awarded to his brother Jose Orlando Lozada and another to Transforma Quinta Inc, a private company represented by Lozada and his wife Maria Violeta.

In an Inquirer article (one of the slides above), Acuzar mentioned Atienza and House Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte as individuals from whom he learned various lessons. Acuzar's company, the New San Jose Builders Inc (NSJB), had been associated in the past with anomalous government housing contracts.

On May 7, 2010, three days before the presidential elections, Arroyo signed Presidential Proclamation No. 2057 that authorized Philforest to administer the development of a land area in Busuanga, in the province of Palawan. Philforest then exercised the powers granted by the directive issued. It allegedly awarded parcels of the land to developer NSJB. A copy of a contract between Philforest and NSJB is also found in the file above, albeit it was signed under the administration of a past Philforest president.
Lozada explained that, in releasing this web of connections, he did not intend to impugn anyone or label the appointments and contracts awarded as anamolous. He said he just wanted to enlighten the public.

"These are relationships which we are not saying are illegal, which we are not calling as corrupt. What we're just saying [is] these are all the connections. And in this country, connection, family ties, and long-time business and political ties remain," he said in an interview.
The Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), with whom Lozada sought refuge following threats to his security, believes that the administration's treatment of Lozada's case deviates from its "daang matuwid (Straight Path)" slogan and anti-corruption campaign.

"We were saddened by how the PNoy administration treated the case of Jun Lozada. It is unthinkable for us to imagine that this basic heroic act, that is putting Jun Lozada and his family not only in danger but in a state of dislocation that sees no immediate end, would be in vain. We cannot go back to 'business as usual,' simply because 'higher-up' officials wanted to get back at Jun. We cannot understand the indifference that PNoy government had with Jun Lozada," their statement read.

Lozada was a key figure in the Senate probe exposing the corruption of the Arroyo administration in the NBN-ZTE deal. His exposé resulted in the filing of charges against former Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos and former Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri.

"What's happening? Akala ko ba anti-Arroyo? Akala ko ba anti-corruption? (I thought [the administration] is anti-Arroyo, anti-corruption?) But why is the Arroyo complainant being employed by them?" Lozada asked.

Aquino, however, refused to meddle with the case.

"At sabi nga sa amin ng presidente, kung may kailangan akong material para depensahan ang sarili ko, eh susulatan ko yung complainant ko," Lozada said. (And the President told us, if I needed material for my defense, I should write to my complainant.)

Sister Mary John Mananzan, who was also present during the dialogue, said she felt "disillusioned" with the President's "lack of compassion."

Despite this, Lozada is confident they will win. "You know what? The truth will always come out. Truth has its own way," he said. - Rappler.com

**Retz** · June 9th, 2013 06:26 PM

Dapat harapin ni Lozada ang kaso niya, kung may kasalanan talaga siya dapat niya itong pagbayaran. Tsaka mukhang pilit ang iyak ni Lozada sa national television.

**CVT** · June 9th, 2013 07:25 PM

Sa opinyon ng marami base sa mga balita,- magnanakaw naman talaga iyan.

Hindi lang nabigyan ng malaki sa hatian kaya pumalag at nuong may threat sa kanya,- bahag ang buntok na lumabas....

Paawa epek lang iyan...

Harapin mo ang kaso mo,- di ba't relihiyoso kang tao?

So, may pananagutan ka sa publiko at sa itaas.

Maging lalaki ka at harapin mo ang iyong problema.

Ginawa mo,- panagutan mo!

Hindi iyong nakatago ka sa likod ng mga Madre.

(At pakiusap sa mga Madre, Brothers at Pari,- huwag na kayong makialam, please,- labas na sa sakop ninyo iyan...)

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