Lozada unaware of P2-M security detail expenses

MANILA, Philippines – Star witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. is unaware that the Senate had spent P2 million for his food bills, travel expenses and overtime for his security detail for the past three months.

Speaking to reporters after his writ of amparo hearing at the Court of Appeals yesterday, Lozada said he never took money from the Senate as all his legal expenses are being paid by the religious.

“Yung mga pagkain ng pamilya ko, religious din ang sumasagot (Even my family’s food expenses are shouldered by religious),” he said. “So I don’t know how I was able to spend from the Senate security.”

Lozada said he would appreciate it if the Senate would not totally remove his security detail as the threat to his life is still present.

“I don’t want to beg,” he said. “The day I beg is the day that I will be treated like a beggar.”

Lozada said his Senate security detail has already been downsized from 10 men to six.

The security detail for his family was reduced from two bodyguards to one, he added.

A total of P2.8 million in sanctuary funds has been raised for Lozada by the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

Speaking over Catholic Church-run Radyo Veritas, AMRSP executive secretary Sr. Estrella Castallone said they are reserving the money for Lozada’s legal expenses.  – Mike Frialde, Evelyn Macairan, Joyce Racoma, Alexis Felicianoe Racoma, Alexis Feliciano