Press Release and Advisory
February 15, 2007

Reference:
Atty. Romeo T. Capulong
President, Public Interest Law Center
Mobile No. 0917-8827923

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE CASE TO BE FILED VS. ARROYOS, ET AL
PREVENTIVE SUSPENSION SOUGHT TO PREVENT SABOTAGE

Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo A. S. Madrigal, assisted by counsels from the
Public Interest Law Center, will file on Friday (Feb. 15), 11:00 am,
before the office of the Ombudsman a complaint for "obstruction of
justice" or violation of Presidential Decree 1829 and Article 144 of
the Revised Penal Code in connection with the abduction and/or
kidnapping of Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr.

According to PILC president Romeo T. Capulong, the historic case is
the first complaint accusing a sitting President and the presidential
spouse of obstruction of justice.

Named respondents are President Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo,
Executive Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Environment Sec. Lito Atienza,
Commission on Higher Education Chair Romulo Neri, Deputy Executive
Sec. Manuel Gaite and his staff Marcelino Agana IV, PNP Chief Avelino
Razon, PNP-PSPO's Paul Mascarinas, Presidential Adviser for Special
Concerns Remedios Poblador, Aviation Security Group's Roger Valeroso,
Angel Atutubo and Octaviano Lian of the NAIA, former Environment Sec.
Mike Defensor, lawyer Antonio Bautista, and several Juan Miguel Does.

"The acts of respondents, individually or taken together, clearly show
respondents' determination to prevent witness Lozada from testifying
in the Senate Hearing on the ZTE/Broadband Deal," said the petition.

The petition also alleges that "the abduction, threat, deceit,
intimidation and bribery of witness Lozada in order to prevent him
from testifying in the Senate constitutes obstruction of justice
punishable under PD No. 1829".

"These same acts of respondents disrupted the proceedings of the
Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers, Trade and
Commerce, and National Defense and Security and thus constitutes
disruption of proceedings punishable under Article 144 of the Revised
Penal Code", the petition added.

Preventive suspension is also sought against respondents to prevent
them from frustrating or hampering their prosecution by intimidating
or influencing witnesses or tampering with documentary evidence, or
from committing further acts of malfeasance while in office. ###