The Saga of Jun Lozada
The Filipino blogosphere is abuzz with the new development and sees the event as a redeeming factor of the Filipinos in the words of Lozada. The Equalizer has up the ante in his Jun Lozada: The power of One wherein he wishes the courage shown by Lozada as the beginning of the transformation for many to do the same making it a force to reckon with in our search for truth.
Schumey is expecting Lozada to divulge what he knows about the ZTE-NBN deal in his article "Moderate the greed".
Manolo Quezon calls it the Great Escape citing Ricky Carandang's The Lozada Factor on the importance of Lozada in the ZTE-NBN botched deal:
Lozada has first hand knowledge of many of the events that led to the deal being signed. When the senate’s investigation zeroed in on him, he started getting “anonymous” death threats, followed by summons to meet with Palace officials. Earlier this week, he was ordered to cool his heels in Hong Kong so he couldn’t testify. But he can’t stay there forever and no one really knows what he’ll do when he comes back. He may succumb to the pressure, or he may–despite the great personal risk to him and his family– rise to the occasion and tell the truth about what he knows. And that’s giving someone in the Palace sleepless nights.
So far Rodofo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr. the key witness has some very damaging statement on the ZTE-NBN botched deal surfacing after a year long hiatus. Philippine Update has posted ABS-CBN news on the news conference in La Salle Greenhills of Jun Lozada and succeeding events afterwards with the ambush interview on former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos one of the principal player in the scandal.
It seems that he is on a good start and hopefully the palace that seems to be very good at "persuading" witnesses to sing the song of sounds of silence or contradicitng themselves to the point of destroying their credibility. Further appreciation of Lozada's impact on the ongoing year old scandal, MLQ points to this Newsweek article, to quote:
Lozada’s testimony at the Senate is supposed to fill the gaps in the statements made by previous witnesses, such as the whistleblower and the ousted Speaker's son, Jose de Venecia III and former economic planning secretary Romulo Neri. De Venecia testified that the broadband deal was overpriced by at least US$200 million because of kickbacks to government officials and to the husband of the President Arroyo.
If his testimony at the Senate will eventually push through, he is expected to provide details on how President Arroyo pressured Neri, through among others, text messages, to approve the project. Neri earlier invoked executive privilege when the senators asked him what President Arroyo instructed him to do after he told her about a P200 million bribe offer to approve the project.
Lozada is also expected to divulge how the broadband project, originally priced at $130 million, eventually became $329 million. He reportedly could name the individuals who benefited or will benefit from the overprice.
Well indeed it was what was expected in Jun Lozada’s press conference in Greenhills under the protective custody of the priest and nuns when he spilled the beans on former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos and more. Jun Lozada narrated the meeting where Abalos demanded US $130M for his commission and the confrontation with Abalos where he was subjected to foul mouthed threats to his life to which Abalos declined to comment in an ambush interview after the press conference.
Let us see how this event unfolds and from the looks of it there should be repercussion on those involved. Jon Mariano, An OFW Living in Hong Kong calls for the resignation of CHED Head Romy Neri to follow Jun Lozada’s lead which is a good call and hopefully others follow suit if there is any decency left with the nation's leaders.
Now are we supposed to get excited over this? I think I will have to wait and see how this unfolds.... I have seen this before and then they just fade away as if nothing happened and people "moved on" with the nation still stuck in the muck of corruption.
Related articles:
On Jun Lozada, Heroes & Cloning
Chronology of Events on Lozada's LSGH Sanctuary
My Dad's a Rich Fatso-Luli Arroyo
A cockcroach could not coo like a dove.
The Genesis of the ZTE-LOZADA Epic Saga
Investigating state witness Lozada
Greed & Corruption is like a jar of Jalapeños
The Contuining Saga of the Probinsyanong Intsik Against the establishment.
What is Neri afraid to say and Why?
The Saga of Jun Lozada Continues...
Transcript of Lozada's Exposé
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Philippine Politics
2 Speak Out:
Nri is a gutless bimbo of GMA and the people should rise up against this accepted norm in the government that corruption is acceptable if done in moderation. Sheesh! Filipinos should wake up, we cannot take this sitting down while Gloria and her gangs bring down the country in the gutters.
Schumey, is this the start? How are the people taking it?
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