Philippine News

April 30, 2009 Thursday
Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada was arrested

Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada was arrested April 29, 2009, Wednesday by a police team following an order issued by a local court the day before being arrested for perjury and would definitely not post bail. Lozada, the whistleblower in the alleged jarring national broadband network agreement with China’s ZTE Corp.(NBN-ZTE), has been staying in La Salle Greenhills in San Juan under the protection of nuns.

Reporters have been camped out on campus since Tuesday evening. Security is tight and media can enter the school only with the permission of Lozada's security. Lozada briefly appeared to watch one of his young sons play on the football field.

Lozada was the Senate witness who blew the whistle on the alleged bribery and overpricing in the aborted $329-million National Broadband Network deal between the government and China's ZTE Corp.

Lozada, wearing a black shirt with a picture of national hero Jose Rizal and the words “Pepe goes to market,” was whisked away in a waiting mobile unit was on his way to the Manila Police District for processing after he was read his Miranda rights by arresting officer Alfredo Valenzuela of the Manila Police District.

Lozada was sided by a group of supporters, including his lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, Sr. Mary John Mananzan and other nuns of the AMRSP, and Carol Araullo and Renatos Reyes of militant group Bayan when he was read his rights. The same supporters followed the mobile unit carrying Lozada in a van bearing the markings of the AMRSP.