Press Release
April 27, 2009

Chiz backs Lozada;
Urges Defensor to drop complaint

Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday rallied the nation, particularly his fellow Bicolanos, to protest the impending arrest of ZTE-NBN whistleblower Jun Lozada on perjury charges.

"I urge all those who seek the truth to unite behind Jun Lozada and support him in this difficult time by speaking out, and through prayers," the opposition senator said in a statement.

"I also urge former Secretary Mike Defensor to withdraw his criminal complaint against Lozada. That is the best way, I think, he can vindicate himself and be magnanimous," Escudero said.

Lozada, who is from Ligao, Albay, had linked Defensor to the alleged attempt by the Arroyo administration to prevent him from testifying in the Senate on the alleged US$329-million national broadband scam.

Defensor filed the perjury complaint based on the alleged inconsistencies in the statements made by Lozada to probers and the court. But this was dismissed by a Metropolitan Trial Court, Branch 26, on November 14, 2008 for lack of probable cause.

The MTC's ruling however was reversed on appeal by the Manila RTC, Branch 11 last March 19.

Lozada has refused to post bail and vows to fight the perjury charges even in jail. He and his family have been given sanctuary by the Dela Salle brothers in their Lasalle Greenhills campus since he testified at the Senate on the alleged US329-million national broadband scam.

"This is the least we can do for Jun Lozada whose example should be emulated by all, especially those who intimately know about corruption at the highest levels of government," Escudero said.

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