By Ronron
February 13, 2008
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is contemplating on filing a perjury case against Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada, Jr., the key witness to the alleged anomalous deal between the government and ZTE Corporation for the National Broadband Network (NBN) project.
Razon told a news conference at Camp Crame yesterday that they will also study if Lozada could be held liable for “abuse of the writ of habeas corpus,” which his family filed before the Supreme Court a day after he claimed he was abducted by police agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“We are studying if perjury is applicable. We are also asking around if an abuse of the writ of habeas corpus is possible… But this is not yet sure. That is being studied by our legal service,” Razon said in Filipino.
Asked why perjury, Razon said: “He signed some documents wherein he claimed this was what really happened, when in fact it’s not.”
Razon insisted that it was the PNP that became a victim in the incident, and not Lozada, who had claimed he was taken against his will by government agents upon his arrival at the NAIA from Hongkong last February 5.
According to Lozada, he did not know that Environment Secretary Lito Atienza sent for him some police agents to act as his security detail in response to his claim he is under threat.
Lozada said the personnel who fetched him at the airport did not even introduce who they are.
“He was not grabbed. They are using colorful terms like grabbed, forced. If he was kidnapped, they should have stayed very close to him and handcuffed Mr. Lozada upon his arrival,” Razon said.
“If he felt he was under threat then, he could have shouted there. But he was even allowed to say at the comfort room for 10 minutes and our men saw him use his cellphone. So it doesn’t seem logical. No kidnapper would allow his victim to use a cellhpone,” he added.
Razon lamented that it was actually Lozada who victimized the PNP in his “grand scheme” of making Atienza and the PNP believe that he is under threat and that he needs protection.
“All of a sudden, on Thursday, he submitted himself to the control of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms which he is supposed to be afraid of,” Razon said, recalling the move of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to take custody of Lozada dawn of February 7 after the latter held a press conference at La Salle Greenhills in San Juan.
Razon said Lozada even admitted later that he was actually in touch with Senator Panfilo Lacson since December last year, which contradicts his claim to Atienza that he is afraid of the Senate and its Sergeant-at-Arms.
“Somebody is controlling Mr. Lozada. He may appear to be a victim but the way I see him, he was the one who victimized the people who helped him… He may say he is weak and a small person, but he is a good planner that he even caught us in his trap of a grand design,” the PNP chief said.
Lozada had said at the Senate that he is afraid to be at the Senate hearing because he will not be able to tell a lie. He had claimed to have knowledge of former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos’ intent to get a $130 million kickback from the NBN project that was awarded to ZTE Corporation through a loan agreement. He also implied that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo had knowledge of Abalos’ activity.
But Abalos and Arroyo denied the allegation, which was also made earlier by Jose de Venecia III and former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Romulo Neri.
Asked who could be the force behind Lozada, Razon said: “We are determining that.”
Razon said he will be submitting his affidavit to the Office of the Solicitor General for the proper action against Lozada. He said he has directed Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO) chief Chief Supt. Romeo Hilomen and deputy chief Sr. Supt. Paul Mascariñas to do the same.
Razon admitted that during the Senate hearing last Monday wherein he was seated next to Lozada, he found the latter’s mannerisms to be quite disturbing.
“I was wondering sometimes because he would sometimes act like he was in pain, then he would do other things, and then he would suddenly cry, get his handkerchief, and then break into a laughter. I think he was under extreme pressure,” Razon said./DMS
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