Puno puts blame on La Salle brothers for not speaking about Lozada’s whereabouts as he insists Lozada was not abducted by PNP

By Ronron
February 7, 2008

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno rushed on Thursday to rescue the Philippine National Police (PNP) from what he calls as “unfair allegations” of abducting Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada, Jr. since the latter’s arrival on Tuesday afternoon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In a news conference at Camp Crame, Puno reiterated PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr.’s statement on Wednesday that Lozada, a key witness to the investigation on the alleged anomalous ZTE Corporation deal for a National Broadband Network project, was never secured by policemen against his will.

“We called this brief press conference to shed light on the work of the PNP to secure Jun Lozada. The PNP has been unfairly cast in the negative light,” an incensed Puno said.

The PNP is under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

According to Puno, it was Lozada himself and his family who requested for police security in the first place. And it was also Lozada who asked to be brought to the La Salle Greenhills campus in San Juan where he stayed until he surfaced dawn of Thursday in a news conference.

“He was never deprived of the opportunity to communicate with everybody. He was free to leave his security if he wanted to… And from Tuesday evening, Mr. Lozada’s family were with him, so why did they file a writ for habeas corpus?” Puno said.

“I can’t understand why all these things are being said now… I am really disappointed in the way the people dealt with this, blaming the PNP, as if there was no way of letting people know where he was. He has his cellhpone. The nuns, the La Salle brothers were there… If he was being held, it is not certainly by the PNP,” he added.

Puno said the public could not blame the PNP for not speaking about the whereabouts of Lozada because that is certainly what it is supposed to do.

“The PNP has its duty to respect the privacy of those that request for protection, their whereabouts. That is why the PNP chose to say nothing until this morning,” he said.

After the press conference, copies of the letters of Lozada and his sister, Carmen, were distributed to the media to prove that they indeed sought for police security.

Lozada’s handwritten-letter was not dated but it says: “Dear Sonny (referring to Razon), kindly extend security detail for my arrival at NAIA III on 5 Feb. 08 FLT CX919 coming in from Hongkong. Your assistance will be highly appreciated.”

Lozada affixed his signature of his name, JUN LOZADA.

But the deputy director of the Police Security and Protection Office, Sr. Supt. Paul Mascariñas, admitted in the same press conference that the hand-written letter-request of Lozada was only made when the latter had already decided he wanted to be brought to La Salle Greenhills on Tuesday night hours after his arrival at the airport.

There was, however, another type-written letter-request of Lozada but this time it was dated February 5, 2006. The letter goes: “The undersigned is Mr. Rodolfo “Jhun” Noel Lozada, Jr., one of the crucial witness to the National Broadband Network (NBN) controversy now under Senate investigation. This NBN controversy caused my deep uncertainty to my safety and members of my family because of the many anomalous calls and threats we have received. In view thereof, may I request for a Protective Escort for me and my family’s safety and well-being.”

Carmen’s type-written and signed letter-request was also of the same date and carried the same content.

Mascariñas admitted that when he and six other PSPO personnel went to NAIA on Tuesday afternoon to fetch Lozada, what he had was only a verbal order to provide protective security to Lozada that he received around 12 noon that day.

Reading his affidavit, Mascariñas said: “When we arrived at LSGH compound, Jun Lozada was met by Brother Felipe, his wife and five kids, and sister Carmen. A little later, some of his brothers and sisters arrived and greeted him.”

Mascariñas said they arrived at La Salle Greenhills at around 10pm of Tuesday. He said Lozada was “free to move around, go where he wants to go, free to entertain visitors and free to call anyone he wishes.”

“Jun Lozada was never subjected to any form of restriction or his Constitutional rights were never curtailed… Since the time Jun Lozada arrived at LSGH up to the time we escorted him to the Senate, all we did was to provide perimeter and area security while he was in La Salle Greenhills compound,” Mascariñas said.

Mascariñas said they officially terminated their protection service for Lozada at past 4am yesterday after the latter was turned over to the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

Puno dared the La Salle brothers as well as the nuns who protected Lozada at La Salle Greenhills to clarify before the public the condition of Lozada while he was in their custody so as to clear the PNP from allegations it abducted Lozada.

“Why are they allowing the PNP to be put in bad light if we are all searching for the truth? That is not a good thing. They had two days to disclose this (whereabouts of Lozada),” Puno said.

He said if the Senate will conduct a probe on the incident, the Senators should also invite the La Salle brothers “because they were the ones in custody of him, housed and fed him.”

“Why should the explanation come from us when all the while, he was resting at La Salle Greenhills?” Puno said.

He said if everyone, including the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, was looking for Lozada since Tuesday night, why did not the La Salle brothers also volunteer the information to them right away.

Lozada has a standing arrest warrant from the Senate for his refusal to attend the hearings on the ZTE scandal.

In the same press conference, former Secretary Michael Defensor admitted that he met Lozada at La Salle Greenhills on Wednesday night and urged him to speak out, even to just one media personality, just to clear the PNP and Malacañang from the flak they are receiving over the custody of Lozada.

But Lozada reportedly told him that he needs time for that because he wanted to prepare his statement, if ever.

True enough, at dawn yesterday, Lozada came out in a press conference at La Salle Greenhills and told his story about his hiding, and what he knows of the negotiations for the NBN project.

Defensor said he knew Lozada because the latter was his appointee as President of the Philippine Forest Corporation during his term as Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) a few years back.

Based on his interaction with Lozada, Defensor said he had the impression that Lozada was more afraid of being arrested by the Senate when he arrived last Tuesday in Manila.

“Consistently, he was asking me to protect him from the Senate and its Sergeant-at-Arms. That’s why I’m quite wondering why after the press conference, he went to the Senate immediately,” Defensor said.

Meanwhile, Razon said in the press conference that they welcome the decision of the Supreme Court granting a writ of amparo for Lozada.

“We will submit ourselves to that (ruling). We will comply with the requirements of the Supreme Court,” Razon said./DMS