Lozada, Nuns Slam Bid to End their Truth Caravans

[The10thBEE]

[SIZE=3]Lozada, nuns slam bid to end their truth caravans[/SIZE]

05/23/2008 | 07:57 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The camp of Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., a key witness in the $329.48-million ZTE broadband deal mess, scored Friday a Senate order to stop their out-of-town "truth caravans."

Radio dzBB's Lito Laparan reported Friday night that Lozada and his supporters from the religious community held a press conference at the La Salle Greenhills to voice their dismay.

Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP) executive secretary Sr. Estrella Castalone said the order smacked of harassment from Malacañang.

Castalone noted that the order came shortly after Malacañang ally Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile called for the pullout of Senate security for Lozada, as he questioned the use of public funds for Lozada.

She said there should be no issue with funds as Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Alan Peter Cayetano both "assured" them funds will not be an issue.

The latest order, she said, is making them feel the harassment from Malacañang. The AMRSP earlier said it is footing the bill for Lozada's "caravans for truth."

On the other hand, the Senate sergeant-at-arms earlier said it is spending for the overtime pay of security personnel it assigned to Lozada.
- GMANews.TV ONLINE 5/23/08

[uls]

magkano kaya ginagastos nila sa gas/diesel sa mga caravan na yan?

sa pagkain?

[ringostarr]

sa ibang bansa, ang witness nilalagay sa witness protection program lalo na kung ang kalaban ay ang incumbent President

dito lang ako sa Pilipinas na nakakakita ng witness na namamasyal na sa province, nagtatalumpati pa

[theveed]

Daming gullible kasi hehe.

[Monseratto]

Malapit na naman pasukan kasi. Kailangan ni Jun ng "captive" student audience para di siya malaos. Ayaw niya matulad ni Sandra Cam et al. Pero using taxpayer's money in the process...

[Isuzoom]

truth my ass!!!

[wolpak]

No tax money for Jun Lozada’s trips

The public reaction was rather unexpected when Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile revealed the P2 million plus in taxpayer money spent for NBN-ZTE witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada. Instead of supporting Lozada, the public thought that the expense was undeserved. After all, Lozada enjoyed the support of some elements among the religious who have money to spend for his security.

More surprising was Sen. Nene Pimentel’s support for Enrile’s move to determine whether or not it is proper to spend taxpayers money for Lozada’s security and upkeep. It is said that in the Senate, what Enrile supports, Nene opposes—but not in this case.

Many suspect that Lozada may have spent that money in the many speaking tours he had in the provinces. Surely, these barnstorming activities are no longer related to his Senate testimony. These expenses should be borne by his political supporters who believe in his cause. But to get them from tax money is inappropriate. In our country, the rule is you enjoy the Bill of Rights, but you cannot use tax money without appropriation by Congress.

Lozada’s P2 million expenses was the subject of conversation in a recent major gathering of lawyers in Naga City. One of the topics discussed on the side was the boycott staged by many priests against the star witness from Bicol. It was said that the Archdiocese of Nueva Caceres has discouraged priests from saying mass for Lozada, saying that the Eucharistic Celebration is not imbued with politics.

My sources said that it would have been easy for the Catholic Church in Bicol to bend backwards to accommodate the witness in the religious masses, especially since Lozada is a product of the University of Santo Tomas. Remember that Nueva Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legazpi was the first Filipino rector of the Dominican university.

The lawyers also recalled that UST officials like Fr. Tamerlane Lana and Fr. Rolando de la Rosa appeared cold towards Lozada in his visits to UST in the aftermath of his Senate testimonies. The UST rector once said—and this was reportedly said right in the presence of Lozada and former President Cory Aquino—that the only acceptable way to change the national leadership is through the Constitution. That was a clear rebuff coming from the Dominican leaders.

Those who are in the know say that the Dominican leadership is not very fond of their now-famous alumnus. The talk is that the Dominicans know Lozada better than we all do. But that problem is for Lozada and his mentors to sort out.

Lozada has said that he would continue with his speaking engagements in the universities. That is his right and we should defend his prerogative so long as tax money is not used.

[Monseratto]

Di naman dapat sagutin ng taxpayer yung "Caravan for Truth" niya. Paano na naman kasalanan ng Malacanang 'to?

[Isuzoom]

Di naman dapat sagutin ng taxpayer yung "Caravan for Truth" niya. Paano na naman kasalanan ng Malacanang 'to?

he can go to the proper court...not in the senate and scool campus.

[jonski]

Sikat na sikat na talaga sya. Sino kaya magiging leading lady nya pag nagkapelikula na sya?

[chua_riwap]

^^^ Pokwang!..............

[Lucius]

Chokoleit pwede. Or si dugong.

Dapat may scene din in the end na papasukan ng canister sa bum si Lozada.

[Isuzoom]

pang lords of the ring yan si jun lo.

[judoman]

pano na yan.. edi lalo na naging iyakin kasi hindi nakakapasyal.

[fourtheboys96]

Sikat na sikat na talaga sya. Sino kaya magiging leading lady nya pag nagkapelikula na sya?

2 ang leading ladies niyan kaya malaki ang magagstos