Lozada family in Albay worried, angry

By Ephraim Aguilar
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:07:00 05/01/2009
INQUIRER.net

LIGAO CITY, Albay -- Even if they already knew that an arrest was going to happen, the family of Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the key witness to the alleged corruption in the scuttled National Broadband Network contract, could not keep themselves calm.

Roberto Vargas, 59, Lozada’s brother-in-law, said the whistleblower was constantly communicating with his family here in Bicol, mentioning about a possible arrest on perjury charges.

Watching news of the arrest on TV, Lozada’s eldest sister Carmen was “worried and angry,” said Vargas.

Carmen left Bicol for Manila Wednesday night to show support to her brother.

“Even though we knew about the arrest even before it happened, the family was still in shock. We felt disgust over the country’s justice system,” Vargas added.

He said the family considered the arrest a form of political harassment.

“Who would believe that the perjury case was filed only to protect Mike Defensor’s reputation? There is certainly more to it than that,” Vargas said.

“But it’s up for the public to judge. We just have to read between the lines,” he added.

Vargas also said the family supported Lozada’s refusal to post bail and honored his steadfast willingness to face the battle.

But Vargas said the family could not help but worry about Lozada’s safety.

“Baka may mangyaring masama sa kanya (Something bad might happen to him),” Vargas said.

The Senate has withdrawn the security it gave to Lozada but Vargas said the family was thankful for the nuns who have been guarding him and who have been holding vigils for him.

“The family needs everyone’s prayers for Jun’s safety,” Vargas said.

To the left of the city hall are small convenience stores owned by the Lozada family.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to interview one of Lozada’s aunts in one of the stores but the old woman irately said, “I don’t care about him. I don’t know him!”

Vargas later apologized to the Inquirer, explaining that not everyone in the family had the courage to face Lozada’s battle.

He said Lozada’s aunt has always been afraid of people prying on family matters.

The Lozada family here is known to be private and religious.

When Lozada was still touring schools to give talks, he would visit his family here in Bicol.

Vargas said Lozada, who was once tagged “probinsyanong intsik (Chinese from the province),” would always tell them that he never regretted telling the truth at the expense of his freedom and safety.

He would always tell the family, “My soul is intact. I have no regrets.”

But Vargas said Lozada also admitted that it was hard explaining everything to his wife and children, who are now facing a new ordeal after the arrest.

Pastor Dan Balucio, secretary general of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) in Bicol, said Lozada’s arrest only proved the government’s continual “manipulation of truth and justice” in order to cover up the anomalous transactions involving high-ranking government officials.

Balucio said religious and civic organizations that supported Lozada at the height of the NBN deal controversy decided to launch the Free Jun Lozada Movement after the Labor Day celebration.

“We will conduct prayer rallies and mass mobilizations to call for Lozada’s freedom and the dumping of the case against him,” Balucio said in a phone interview.