Lozada willing to surrender to proper authorities

MANILA, Philippines - National broadband network (NBN) scam whistle-blower Rodolfo Lozada Jr. disclosed yesterday that he is willing to surrender.

“I am ready to give myself up. But only to the proper authorities,” Lozada told The STAR.

Lozada is now under the protection of nuns of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

The nuns earlier said that they would post bail for Lozada once the police serve the warrant of arrest against him.

The Sandiganbayan ordered Lozada’s arrest two weeks ago in connection with the graft cases filed against him for his grant of leasehold rights to his brother and to a private company connected with his wife in 2009 when he was president and chief executive officer of the state-run Philippine Forest Corp. (Philforest).

AMRSP Sanctuary Program head Sister Mary John Mananzan, who has been a constant companion of Lozada since the NBN scandal broke out, said the nuns have made arrangements with authorities so that they could turn Lozada over to the Philippine National Police (PNP) next Monday.

They informed police that if they want to arrest Lozada, they should go to the AMRSP.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo said the arrest warrant against Lozada would be served not only by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) but also by any other police unit.

Cerbo said he is not aware of any arrangement between the PNP and the AMRSP regarding the surrender of Lozada.

He said the PNP would not have any problems serving the warrant to Lozada.

Lozada said he is not seeking special treatment from the authorities when he is arrested.

“I am just an ordinary person. I am not asking for anything from this government,” he said. – With Aurea Calica