MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE) The wife of a missing witness to the controversial $329-million telecommunications contract has asked the Supreme Court to compel the Philippine National Police (PNP) as well as the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to release him.

In a nine-page petition for habeas corpus, Violeta Cruz-Lozada, through lawyer Carlos Medina Jr. from the Ateneo Human Rights Center, said the high court should command the respondents ?to have the body of petitioner Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. before this Honorable Court at the time and place which this Honorable Court shall designate, and to summon the respondents to show cause why petitioner Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. should not be taken away from their restraint; and that after due proceedings, petitioner Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. be restored to his liberty and forthwith removed from any restraints.?

Respondents to the petition include General Angel Atutubo, Assistant General Manager of the Manila International Airport; PNP Chief Avelino Razon; Lieutenant General Pedrito Cadungog, Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force; General Octavio Lina, assistant general manager of the Manila International Airport; Brigadier General Romeo Prestoza, chief of the Presidential Security Group; and Senior Police Officer 1 Roger Valeroso.

Lozada is the Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Forestry Corporation, a subsidiary of state-owned National Resources Development Corporation (NDRC). He was mentioned by Jose ?Joey? De Venecia III, son of former Speaker Jose De Venecia during a Senate inquiry over the national broadband network project.

Lozada arrived in the country February 5 around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday and was immediately taken by government authorities.

But Lozada?s wife said her husband was taken not on the basis of the Senate?s warrant of arrest because the sergeant-at-arms was not allowed to meet him when he arrived.