Jun Lozada conviction may discourage whistle-blowers
The conviction of whistle-blower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada may scare other whistle-blowers from exposing corruption and telling the truth.
According to activist nun Mary John Mananzan, this is most likely to happen after Lozada was charged of conflict of interest and partiality for granting separate leasehold rights over public lands to his brother Jose Orlando Lozada by the Sandiganbayan.
“Whistle-blowers are needed in the fight against corruption. If not for them, who would be witnesses? But if this is their fate, then who would want to be a whistle-blower?” Mananzan said.
Mananzan is the former chair of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines . She said she and her sisters will support Lozada up to his appeal in the Supreme Court.
She was one of the whistle-blower’s “bodyguards” who offered him security when he first surfaced in 2008.
Lozada testified against President Gloria Arroyo and former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. on a multimillion-peso broadband deal with the Chinese telecommunications from ZTE years ago.
Mananzan said the graft case was to harass Lozada.
“I’m sure of it. All the cases against him came out after he became witness. If it was really his crime, why wasn’t he charged when he was with PFC?” she said, adding that Lozada risked his life and the security of his family, only to be sentenced to prison.
Lozada and his brother were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. MJM
According to activist nun Mary John Mananzan, this is most likely to happen after Lozada was charged of conflict of interest and partiality for granting separate leasehold rights over public lands to his brother Jose Orlando Lozada by the Sandiganbayan.
“Whistle-blowers are needed in the fight against corruption. If not for them, who would be witnesses? But if this is their fate, then who would want to be a whistle-blower?” Mananzan said.
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| Photo by Inquirer |
She was one of the whistle-blower’s “bodyguards” who offered him security when he first surfaced in 2008.
Lozada testified against President Gloria Arroyo and former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. on a multimillion-peso broadband deal with the Chinese telecommunications from ZTE years ago.
Mananzan said the graft case was to harass Lozada.
“I’m sure of it. All the cases against him came out after he became witness. If it was really his crime, why wasn’t he charged when he was with PFC?” she said, adding that Lozada risked his life and the security of his family, only to be sentenced to prison.
Lozada and his brother were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. MJM
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Jun Lozada conviction may discourage whistle-blowers
Reviewed by Kristian S.
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27 August
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Reviewed by Kristian S.
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27 August
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