Gonzalez hit for ban on Lozada in schools
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:16:00 03/13/2008
Filed Under: NBN deal, Protest, Graft & Corruption
MANILA, Philippines -- “Is Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez having trouble remembering he is the secretary of justice, not education?”
Militant teachers Thursday raised the question as they assailed Gonzalez for ordering Iloilo City public schools not to allow Internet broadband deal whistle-blower Rodolfo Lozada Jr. on their campuses.
“Neither is he the school superintendent of Iloilo, therefore, he has no business whatsoever issuing orders to anyone regarding public schools, whether in Iloilo or elsewhere,” said Antonio Tinio, chair of the 15,000-strong Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).
Lozada has been on a tour of Metro Manila and nearby provincial campuses telling his story of corruption in the National Broadband Network deal with China’s ZTE Corp. that reportedly extends all the way to Malacañang.
He also has been exhorting the students to demand the truth from the officials allegedly involved in the deal.
Tinio urged Lapus to “clarify once again the DepEd’s policy in the wake of the purported order issued by Gonzalez.”
Gonzalez said that even though he would prevent Lozada from speaking in Iloilo public schools, the witness is scheduled to join a rally in Panay with leftwing groups.
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