LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

In need of more Lozadas
MARCH L. FIANZA

Who’s afraid of engineer Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr.? Nobody sees any direct answers as of yet nor is there a closure in sight in the days to come. But the reaction of people affected by the revelations of the ZTE witness is evident. It is in their body language. It is manifested even faster than the scenes unfold in the Senate.

Who are afraid of the Lozadas in our midst? The question arises as the natural after-effect of public discussions in the print, radio, TV and internet news. They were all talking about the alleged multi-million dollar bribe involving Philippine government officials and the Chinese on the other.
As we listened to the Senate hearing attended by opposite camps, more questions arose faster than answers were found. Though that is the case, somehow the principal question has to be answered. How things turn out in the future is quite interesting.

News reports said that Jun Lozada has very important information about the National Broadband Network (NBN) contract that was awarded to the ZTE Corp. of China. His knowledge of the scam includes the amounts of bribe money that were advanced to government officials everytime a signature was obtained.

Who is afraid of Lozada? Jumping the gun even while it has yet to be fired, government spokesmen scampered to defend themselves in media conferences held even on weekends. That was very unusual, maybe unprecedented. Furthermore, Malacanang allies went to the Senate to deny their participation or someone else’s.

It was unanticipated that they accept the invitation without invoking Executive Order 464 which stops them from attending Senate investigations unless permitted. It was also strange to hear DENR Sec. Atienza insist that he be the first to take the floor.

Assessing how Malacanang allies in the past invoked Exec Order 464, it was different on the part of Engr. Lozada. It seems he had more balls to show than the rest of his administration colleagues who keep denying their participation in the scandal. If indeed they have nothing to hide and are on the side of the truth, then there is no need to issue EO464.

Lozada’s testimony pulled administration allies into talking in the Senate. Malacanang says Lozada is lying. Suddenly, Malacanang says its officials will testify to refute Lozada’s “lies” in the Senate. The officials’ presence in the Senate is a complete turn around from the fact that EO 464 was invoked when Vidal Doble testified in the “Hello Garci” wiretapping scandal.

Lozada’s struggle to “tell all and face all,” including the ability to ‘admit’ charges in a credibility test raised by Sen. Miriam Santiago proved one thing that day – that he was selfless enough to the extent of placing one’s own family and self in harms way. It is like crawling through the crossfire of a shooting war between former friends who have become enemies and ex-enemies who would become future allies.

Thus, even without Lozada being “kidnapped,” becoming fearful of his life and the lives of his family, his testimony in the Senate was enough to put himself in danger. It is already an uneasy task to put oneself under embarrassment – what more with putting others, aside from oneself, in shame? It is like recruiting one’s own assassins.

If one testifies and puts in danger his life and the lives of those he loves, that is enough proof that he is telling the truth. If those affected by a testimony scamper to block testimonies to the extent of kidnapping a witness, then there is truth to the testimony.

In this country, people who tell the truth are kidnapped or eliminated while people who lie for the administration are promoted. Certainly, this country is in need of more Jun Lozadas.