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Solidarity Philippines prays for truth, courage:
lauds Lozada's testimony on ZTE scam
Solidarity Philippines lauds the courage of Rodolfo Lozada Jr. in
revealing what he knows about the corruption involving high government
officials. His testimony further confirms that former Comelec Chair
Abalos earmed a big sum of his retirement package from the
multi-million anomalous ZTE deal.
Solidarity Philippines joins church groups and anti-corruption
advocates in denouncing the abduction of Lozada and all-out efforts of
the Arroyo administration to prevent him from telling the Senate and
the whole nation what he knows about the ZTE scam.
Lent is a time when God offers us the chance to be set free from all
forms of sin, injustice, oppression and violence - and to fill us all
with what is liberating, redeeming and sanctifying.
While those in power have not gone to confess their sins against the
Filipino people, we laud the courage of Lozada to confess what he
knows despite the serious death threats against him. His testimonies
have so far pointed to the hand of Abalos in the ZTE scam. We pray
that he will have the courage to tell all on what he knows about the
hand of First Gentleman and Mrs Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in this deal-
and all other anomalous dealings of the government.
Solidarity Philippines joins the Filipino people in praying that
Lozada will not compromise the whole truth. We also pray for strength
and safety of his family in this challenging times.
As we gather today in a Lenten Reflection on the Common Good, we heed the
call of the CBCP to "reform ourselves, form the social conscience, and act
for the common good."
We vow to continue to pray and act in solidarity with the Filipino
people in demanding the Arroyo administration to account for all its
acts of corruption and violence that have subordinated the common
good to their own good.
We call on the Filipino faithful to utilize the 40 days of the Lenten
season
for continuous critical reflection and actions for the common good.
*Solidarity Philippines together with the District Justice & Peace
Commission of the Philippine Lasallian Family will hold a Prayer for
Courage in Support of Lozada and Candle Lighting for Truth and
Accountability, 5:30 pm today in front of the College of Saint
Benilde, Taft Avenue Manila. Media coverage requested.
Reference:
Fr. Joe Dizon
0919-8826487
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PAMILYA NG DESAPARECIDOS PARA
SA KATARUNGAN (Desaparecidos)
2/f Erythrina bldg., #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag sts., Barangay Central,
Quezon city, Telfax 4342837
7 February 2008
Reference: Mary Guy Portajada,
Desaparecidos Spokesperson
Mobile No. 09058234907 Telefax 4342837
It’s the season of lies and
deceit
Razon, Malacañang et al caught lying through their teeth
The families of victims of enforced disappearance today commiserates with
surfaced ZTE scandal witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. and urge him to be strong
enough to tell his story, and prove how the Arroyo regime and its cohorts
lied through their teeth.
“We commend Mr. Lozada for taking courage to tell the truth in spite of
what he and his family had gone through in the hands of state security
agents,” said Mary Guy Portajada, spokesperson of the Families of
Desaparecidos for Justice or Desaparecidos. “He may not be like other
abduction victims who are activists and had been branded as ‘terrorists’,
but he, too was targeted to be silenced by government agents because he
was a witness to the Arroyo regime’s corruption,” she added.
Portajada said that Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon, Jr’s
line about Lozada “requesting protection” is the same lie the police gives
when they surface abduction victims after days of interrogation, torture
and incommunicado detention.
“It’s the standard line of the PNP and AFP in order to evade
accountability on the human rights violations they committed. They force
the victim to sign waivers, write ‘request letters,’ to mouth their lines
and claim that the victims were ‘treated well’,” Portajada said. In many
cases, the PNP would not even inform the victim’s family that they have
custody, or would even refuse to let the victim be visited by his/her
family. Some of the victims would be too scared for their lives and that
of their family that they would actually refuse to leave police or army
custody.
“Truly, the Lozada abduction shows to the public that this regime has no
compunction in violating the human rights of the people. If a rich and
powerful person like Mr. Lozada can be made to disappear in such brazen
fashion, in the airport, then how much more the ordinary people and
persons this regime labels as “terrorists,” “destabilizers,” or “enemies
of the state,” Portajada added.
Portajada said that state security forces had abducted many other victims
with the same brazenness, with the abductors even using fake names to
dodge responsibility. Under the Arroyo regime, a total of 177 victims were
abducted and are still missing. ##
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News Release
February 8, 2008
For reference: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson (0927-215-7392)
OFWs salute Lozada; Heighten
calls for Arroyo's ouster
An alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their
families today hailed Jun Lozada for daring to expose the truth behind
the anomalous ZTE-NBN deal.
"We applaud Jun Lozada for exposing the billion peso corruption in the
ZTE-NBN deal and the South Rail project. He validates what the
Filipino people have known all along – that the Arroyo administration
and particularly the First Family are guilty of raiding this country's
coffers for their own benefit," says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante
International Chairperson.
Migrante International today joined BAYAN and other progressive
organizations in a mobilization at the Senate today to show support
for Lozada during his testimony at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
"We call on Sec. Romulo Neri to follow Lozada's example. We hope that
he too will truly tell all he knows about the deal. Further, we
enjoin Senators to commit to seeing this inquiry through. We call on
them to pull out all stops when it comes to unearthing the depths of
corruption in this case and other cases. This means that among those
they invite to testify must include First Gentleman Mike Arroyo," she
added.
"It's criminal that while OFWs toil overseas in their bid to uplift
their families out of poverty while at the same time propping up our
country – Arroyo, her family and her cohorts are plundering our
economy. Through their billion peso kickbacks, they are literally
stealing food out of our plates, denying our children access to good
education and leaving the sick to die without adequate health care,"
said Bragas-Regalado.
The Migrante leader noted that these actions are in addition to the
long list of anti-migrant policies – whose main aim is greater state
exactions or kotong, already passed by the Arroyo administration in
the guise of better protection for OFWs. Examples include the POEA MC
04, the new POEA Guidelines on HSWs and the OWWA Omnibus Policies.
"Enough is enough. We enjoin all migrant workers and the Filipino
people to unite to oust the corrupt fascist, puppet and anti-migrant
Arroyo regime," she concluded. #
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February 7, 2008
Reference:
Sarah Katrina Maramag
Vice-chairperson/Media Officer, 09193486790
Eleanor de Guzman
Chairperson, 09282555423
Students view Lozada
testimony in 'in-campus huddles'
Human chain vs. corruption set this afternoon
Youth group Anakbayan expressed support for ZTE scam star witness Jun
Lozada for 'bravely siding with the people' and telling all he knew about
the ZTE controversy despite attempts by the administration to silence him.
Anakbayan today led 'in-campus huddles' and 'pocket public viewings' of
Lozada's statement as delivered during his press conference at the La
Salle Greenhills at 2:00 in the morning today.
Simultaneous viewings and discussions will be held at 1:00 in the
afternoon today at the University of the Philippines-Diliman and Manila,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Trinity College, University of
Sto. Tomas, University of the East, Far Eastern University and the
Philippine Christian University.
Anakbayan chairperson Eleanor de Guzman said that they would hold the
in-campus viewings 'to broadcast to students who are presently attending
classes the recent political developments and to provide venues for them
to discuss their views (on these).'
"What is unfolding now is a major concern for youth and students. It is
about time that more and more are being emboldened to speak out against
unresolved cases of bribery and corruption implicating the Arroyo
syndicate," said de Guzman.
Students from the said schools are set to stage a 'youth human chain
against corruption and tyranny' at 5:00 this afternoon at the UP campus in
Diliman, Ubelt consortium-Espana and along Taft Avenue.
"We call on CHED Chair Romulo Neri and former Speaker Jose de Venecia to
follow Lozada's lead. They will likewise have the youth's support," said
de Guzman.
De Guzman earlier challenged de Venecia 'to consummate his act of
repentance, to expose all and side with the people,"
Anakbayan vowed to stage more protest actions, fora and street teach-ins
on corruption in the following days. ###
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ISSUE ANALYSIS No. 3
February 8, 2008
Series of 2008
Governance by arrogance
Next to the Marcos dictatorship, the Arroyo presidency will likely go down
in history as the government most vilified apparently due to its use of
coercion and intimidation to silence its critics and its presumed enemies.
Its eighth year in power began in January with a threat against reporters
that they will be haled to jail if they covered so-called "destabilizers"
and also a bigger threat on cause-oriented organizations against holding
rallies to commemorate Edsa Dos.
On Feb. 4, Jose de Venecia,
Jr., a staunch Arroyo ally, was unceremoniously unseated as House speaker
in a coup plotted by the president's husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, her two
congressmen- sons, and a business crony. De Venecia's ouster – where
government funds were reportedly used to marshal the yes votes - was
described as a family vendetta over De Venecia's refusal to stop his son,
Joey III, from testifying in the Senate about the $330-million
telecommunications project scam.
The son's testimony on the tainted project implicated the president's
husband, former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, and some generals in the
Arroyo Cabinet. In a privilege speech on the night of the coup, De Venecia
lambasted the chief executive for failing to stop assassination attempts
by her own men against himself and his son.
De Venecia, 71, who had served
as Speaker for five terms beginning 1992 in the 9th Congress, was
instrumental in throwing out three impeachment complaints filed against
Arroyo in connection with the fraudulent 2004 presidential elections and
other constitutional violations. Like a true praetorian guard, he thus
saved the president – who was once his vice-presidential mate in 1998 -
from certain imprisonment. Now stripped of power and betrayed by Arroyo
along with 56 members of his own Lakas-CMD, which he leads as party
president, the ousted Speaker has promised to tell all of what he knows
about the president and hinted he may likely join the opposition.
Lozada
Then on Feb. 5, Rodolfo Noel
Lozada, Jr., a key witness in the controversial national broadband network
(NBN) telecommunications deal, went missing after arriving at the
international airport from Hong Kong. Quick intercession by his family,
senators, and religious groups coupled with media vigilance probably saved
his life. In an early dawn news conference Feb. 7, the young Lozada
anguished over death threats he said he received from Abalos for refusing
to endorse the shady deal on account of the former Comelec chief's demand
for a $130 million commission. He withdrew from the project deliberations
as a consultant and has also resigned as president of the state-owned
Philippine Forest Corporation. Lozada, who had a brother killed by the
police for "mistaken identity," said he was just a professional doing his
job and wanted no part in the scam. The deal has since been scrapped by
Arroyo.
Arroyo's claims of giving the
country an unprecedented economic growth have failed to lower the
president's rating as the most corrupt in decades, with a culture of
cronyism that equals the Marcos years, and a record of extra-judicial
killings that has raised alarm in the international community.
Continuing to hound Arroyo are allegations of illegitimacy as a result of
which it suffers a lack of trust and credibility among the people. In
response to impeachment complaints and incessant calls for her
resignation, the president, in an arrogant display of power, has resorted
to gangland-style coercion, authoritarian measures, and military
repression including threats of arrest and, as condemned by human rights
groups, the summary execution and abduction of her most effective critics
from the Left.
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Under Arroyo, rule of law and
due process are followed in the breach. Complaints against the president
in the House are shot down through a tyranny of numbers and bribery while
in the Senate investigations of the wrongdoings of the president, her
family, and cronies are stymied by executive orders preventing Cabinet
officials and generals from cooperating. Ever protective of their
commander-in- chief, military authorities defy judicial authority on cases
of missing persons, despite a long-delayed legal intervention by the
Supreme Court.
Arroyo has thus tainted the
office of the presidency and the electoral process, violated the
independence of Congress, deepened the people's lack of trust in the
justice system, and made the AFP her own private army.
Patronage
Patronage, maintained through
the control and disbursement of pork barrel, preferential treatment in
multi-million projects, as well as high salaries, promotions, and other
perks has also helped ensure Arroyo's stay in power. Bribery knows no
bounds so that even key members of the Catholic hierarchy have been
effectively "neutralized" from criticizing the president.
The last time the people saw
the scourge of conjugal dictatorship was during the Marcos years. Today
the Arroyo family is not only the fastest-growing ruling dynasty in the
country but it is also embroiled in monumental cases of corruption and
abuse of political power. The last of such cases is of course the NBN scam
where the fixation to defend dynastic interests comes first even at the
expense of long-time allies and presidential appointees, like Lozada.
The unseating of De Venecia
and the abduction of Lozada has stirred calls anew for the president to
quit – or at least to take a leave of absence - to give investigators of
alleged presidential wrongdoings a free hand. For such a clamor to
prosper, the people may have to transcend the reign of fear that has been
sown under seven years of the Arroyo presidency and save the country from
further harm.
Reference:
Bobby Tuazon
Director, Policy Study, Publication and Advocacy (PSPA)
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)
TelFax +63-2 9299526; mobile phone: 0915-6418055
E-mail: cenpeg.info@ gmail.com; info@cenpeg. org
http://www.cenpeg. org
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News Release
February 5, 2008
Christian students show support for Lozada,
wear black in protest of "dirtiest Arroyo tactics ever"
Christian youth group Student Christian Movement of the Philippines showed
support for engineer Rodolfo Noel Lozada's testimony before the Senate
Blue Ribbon Committee today to tell the truth on the irregularities of the
NBN Deal, in a protest action outside the Senate grounds.
SCMP chairperson Biyaya Quizon said they commend Lozada for being
"God-fearing" and "pro-people" and said that "our merciful God and the
people are with him."
The students wore black as a sign or protest. According to them, what the
nation is witnessing right now is "a revelation of Arroyo's dirtiest
tactics ever."
"As money is the root of all evil, so does the the First Family is now the
root of all evildoing in our nation right now," Quizon said.
The group dared the Arroyo government to stop their hypocrisy and answer
all the accusations that the First Family is behind all the scandals in
Congress and the NBN deal.
"Instead of ordering the DOJ to investigate, why don't the First Family
answer the issues themselves? They should at least show some decency to
admit their sins to the people. That's the only way to save themselves and
not by holding empty press conferences," Quizon said.
She said however, that they do not expect Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to say
sorry again.
"She might have been too ill to say sorry, because she has lost all the
moral ascendancy to do that. The only way for her to save herself is out,"
Quizon said.
The group is planning to hold vigils in various schools in support of the
fight against corruption. ###
Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra, secretary general and information
officer, 09186106275
Biyaya Quizon, chairperson, 09289526973
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