Lozada on suits: Bring them on

ILOILO CITY – Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., witness in the Senate investigation of the national broadband network (NBN) controversy, said he is prepared for another round of “harassment suits,” particularly concerning his alleged huge bank accounts.

“I’ve been expecting these harassment suits. These are just part of the harassment against me. I’m ready to face these suits,” Lozada said at a press conference at the De Paul College following a forum attended by at least 1,000 supporters yesterday morning.

“I hope they are also ready to face charges,” he said, apparently referring to First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and administration officials he implicated in the anomalous $329-million NBN deal with China’s ZTE Corp. A women’s group earlier sued Lozada for graft and nepotism.

“When you hold up the torch, the first thing that will be seen are your mistakes,” Lozada said.

Lozada’s lawyer Neri Colmenares said they are ready to face the criminal charges head on.

“We are confident that we can prove that our client is innocent,” Colmenares said. Lozada’s lawyers have already asked the Supreme Court to issue a writ of amparo as protection against harassment suits.

At the press conference, Lozada said his enemies are fabricating documents to present as evidence of his huge bank accounts.

“You know, documents to destroy somebody abound. But documents that would tell the truth are suppressed, contracts are hidden,” he said.

“If indeed there are fat bank accounts in my name, I promise that I will donate these to the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines,” Lozada said. AMRSP is actively supporting Lozada in his corruption exposé.

Lozada’s visit to Iloilo City was his first trip by plane since his arrival from Hong Kong in early February.

“Luckily I didn’t get lost in the airport of Iloilo,” he said in jest, referring to alleged abduction attempts by police and airport security personnel shortly after his arrival from Hong Kong on Feb. 5.

School bars Lozada

Despite the generally warm welcome, Lozada was not allowed to enter the University of San Agustin here.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, who is from Iloilo, told reporters in Manila that Lozada was not allowed to speak at the University of San Agustin but was given a permit by the city government to march with members of the Bayan Panay from the university to De Paul College.

Iloilo City is a known administration bailiwick. Gonzalez’s son and namesake is the representative for the city’s lone district. Mayor Jerry Treñas is the president of the pro-administration League of Cities of the Philippines.

“I will not allow him to speak in public schools. These are government institutions,” Gonzalez told reporters.

“They are strange bedfellows,” Gonzalez said of Lozada and the leftist Bayan. “It is the Bayan Panay that asked the mayor for permit for the march,” Gonzalez said, adding he believes militant groups are just taking advantage of Lozada.

“I think he is being used by certain elements and he is happy about it because he has exposure. He thinks it makes him popular,” he said.

He also chided Lozada for seeking protection from the court yet keeps traveling around.

“You just make your own conclusions about the person who claims to be under threat then keeps on moving around as if he has anting-anting (amulet),” he said.

“He has maybe enough protection from the nuns, La Salle brothers and some leftist priests,” he said.

Gonzalez also claimed there are now fewer people demanding the resignation of President Arroyo.

“Their numbers are dwindling. I think there is already fatigue on the part of the public, not only fatigue, the people are already saturated with all these kinds of anti-government raps, and many of these things have not been established or proven at all,” he said.

Teachers score Gonzalez

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers assailed Gonzalez for barring Lozada from public schools in Iloilo.

“Perhaps Secretary Gonzalez is having trouble remembering, so let us remind him that he is the secretary of justice not education. Neither is he the School Superintendent of Iloilo City,” ACT chair Antonio Tinio said. – With Mike Frialde and Reinir Padua