MANILA, Philippines?Two former presidents, a group of Makati businessmen, several senators and a movement for good governance threw their support behind whistle-blower Rodolfo ?Jun? Lozada Jr. who was arrested Wednesday on perjury charges.
?I appeal to all freedom-loving Filipinos to support Mr. Lozada in every way possible and to make it known, loud and clear, that he is not alone,? former President Corazon Aquino said Wednesday night in a statement.
Aquino, who is battling colon cancer, said she was deeply saddened by the news of Lozada?s arrest and detention. She has strongly supported Lozada in exposing the involvement of the First Couple in the NBN-ZTE deal.
?I shall pray for him that he may be delivered from harm and injustice. His incarceration imprisons us all, as it serves to intimidate those of us who fight for truth, fairness and decency in our society,? Aquino said.
Voice of truth silenced
Former President Joseph Estrada also condemned the arrest, saying it was the height of injustice not only to Lozada but also to the Filipino people.
?It is clear now that under this administration, the voice of truth is silenced while the acts of the corrupt prevail,? Estrada said in a statement. ?This is not how a democracy is supposed to work.?
Bro. Eddie Villanueva joined Aquino and Estrada in denouncing the arrest of Lozada.
?The continuous harassment of Lozada through threats and intimidation surely is the most accurate description of an administration that has twisted and mangled the administration of justice in this country,? Villanueva said in a statement.
The Makati Business Club said Lozada?s arrest and ?the filing of 16 criminal and civil cases against him and members of his family are blatant acts of harassment with the object of suppressing the truth about the overpricing and bribery that attended the NBN-ZTE deal.?
Highly ironic
In a statement, the MBC said it was highly ironic that while Lozada?s testimony was being used against him, the persons implicated in his testimony were still immune from prosecution.
?No less than a Cabinet member, former NEDA director general and now SSS president Romulo Neri, testified under oath that then Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos had offered him a bribe in exchange for the facilitation of the approval of the NBN-ZTE contract. And yet, the Ombudsman has yet to file any charges against Abalos,? the business group said.
The MBC said it remained ?hopeful that despite current setbacks to hold erring officials accountable before the courts of law, there will come a time for these officials to account and for truth to triumph.?
The accountable are free
The leaders of Kaya Natin! said it was disheartening to see that the person who risked his and his family?s life to tell the truth about the controversial government transaction was being branded a liar.
What was ?more disheartening? was the fact that personalities linked to the scuttled $329-million deal have not been held accountable, they said in a statement.
Kaya Natin! is a national movement for good governance and ethical leadership. Its statement was signed by Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio, Ifugao Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr., Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, Mayor Fermin Mabulo of San Fernando, Camarines Sur; Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija; Mayor Florante Gerdan of Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya; and Gloria Congco, former mayor of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.
?These actions send the Filipino people a wrong message when it comes to the impartiality of our present justice system. This will also discourage other future whistle-blowers from coming out in public to expose other corrupt practices present in our current government,? they said.
They said good governance could only be achieved if individuals accused of graft and corruption were held accountable.
Senate security team
Even as several senators decried the arrest of Lozada, the Senate withdrew Wednesday the two-member team assigned to provide security for the whistle-blower.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile told reporters that he would make an assessment in ?due time? whether the Senate would continue to provide security for Lozada, who had testified during last year?s Senate hearings on the aborted NBN contract awarded to China?s ZTE Corp.
?We have to withdrew the (Senate) security (of Lozada),? Enrile said, noting that the whistle-blower was after all ?already secured? as he was now ?placed behind bars.?
But he said the Senate would restore Lozada?s security once the latter posts bail.
Bail
Sen. Panfilo Lacson prodded Lozada to post bail and, like Sen. Richard Gordon, offered to help the whistle-blower in posting bail.
Lacson said he did not believe the government would be able to resolve the corruption problem if it resorted to getting back at whistle-blowers like Lozada.
Senators Pia Cayetano and Francis Pangilinan assailed the ?political harassment? of Lozada.
?Probably they want to show him that ?you are not a team player, that you went against the administration and you spilled the beans,?? Cayetano said of why Lozada was now behind bars.
Whistle-blower associations
Sen. Manuel ?Mar? Roxas II asked Lozada not to lose hope because he said people would support him.
A group of whistle-blowers also condemned the harassment that it said was being done to Lozada.
The Whistle Blowers Association called on lawmakers to help Lozada and to ensure that his ordeal would not be repeated.
Malacańang distanced itself from the arrest.
?The Palace, on matters before the proper courts, will always defer to those courts,? Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a statement. Reports from Cynthia D. Balana, Christine O. Avendańo, TJ Burgonio, Leila B. Salaverria and Christian V. Esguerra
