MANILA, Philippines— (UPDATE) Former presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor on Thursday said he is no longer interested in pursuing the perjury case he filed against Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, whistleblower in the botched national broadband network deal.

"While I am very much determined to seek relief for the criminal acts committed by Mr. Jun Lozada that caused injury upon my person, I feel that I may not be able to obtain impartial justice from the honorable court,” Defensor said in a letter to Judge Emmanuel Lorredo (not Lloredo as earlier reported) of the Manila Municipal Trial Court who is hearing the case.

“At any rate, I am confident that in the future, I will still be able to obtain justice. It is only unfortunate that just because of my presumed close relationship with the present administration, my complaint was pre-judged as a harassment suit, when in fact, it is a plain, meritorious, and legitimate action seeking relief for the wrong done upon me and my family. ... I will not be able to attend the hearings and my lawyer and I are preparing the documents necessary to cause withdrawal of my complaint," Defensor's letter read.

While Lozada sees Defensor's intention to withdraw the complaint as a "victory of the people," his lawyers think otherwise, saying Defensor should formally withdraw his complaint under oath.

Lozada’s lawyers said they want permanent, not provisional, dismissal of the case. One of Lozada's lawyers, Rex Fernandez, said Defensor's letter is “very ambiguous.”

Defensor's letter was read by Lorredo during the supposed pre-trial of the case Thursday morning.