Judge Lorredo Says He's Being Pressured by "Lolo Gonzales" to Inhibit and Paints a Possible "Ninoy" Scenario and Martial Law in Lozada-Defensor Case

THE JUN LOZADA WATCH

14 May 2009

In a bizarre twist in the tangled perjury charge filed by defeated administration senatorial candidate Mike Defensor against ZTE-NBN scandal whisteblower Jun Lozada, Judge Lorredo of the Manila MTC Branch 26 is insisting that Malacañang is pressuring him to inhibit from the case. He identified DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales, whom he called "Lolo Gonzales," as oneof those pressuring him to drop the case.

Even more intriguing is his claim that the situation might lead into a scenario reminiscent of the assasination of the late Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. who was gunned down on August 21, 1983 as he was going down the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport.  Ninoy's death would signal the start of the end of the Marcos regime.  

Judge Lorredo painted this scenario, "Patayin si Lozada, pak!  Patay!  Just imagine, he will be another Ninoy. Meron lang sumigaw na 'Punta tayo sa Malacañang, pupunta 'yan eh.  Martial law.'"  

"Sana nga I'm very wrong with my analysis of the whole thing.  Pero pa'no kung tama ako?  I will not be able to forgive myself.  I will not be able to sleep well," added the now-controversial judge who insisted that he is not going to inhibit from the case in spite of the mounting pressures.

To prevent such an eventuality, Lorredo is hopeful that he could convince Defensor and Lozada to settle their differences amicably.  He even made an appeal to Manny Pacquiao to attend the next hearing of the case so he (Pacquiao) could talk to and convince Defensor and Lozada to come to terms regarding the case.

Lozada, meanwhile, is adamant that he just needs to see Defensor face-to-face in court so he could repeat his assertions that the latter tried to bribe him to keep quiet with what he knew about the ZTE-NBN deal. He said that his stint in jail would be in vain if he would settle the case with Defensor.

A week ago, on May 7, Judge Lorredo issued an order granting the release of Jun Lozada on Senate recognizance as a result of a motion backed by a Mar Roxas-authored Resolution that was adopted by the Senate. That story is told in the following articles:

Senate Takes Over Custody of Jun Lozada as He Pleads Not Guilty to Perjury Charges

The Senate Resolution that Won Back Custody Over Jun Lozada, SRN-1049 (Adopted Resolution No. 172), Filed by Senator Mar Roxas

VINDICATION! — "My decision to protest the abuses ... by this government by refusing to post bail has now yielded victory" — Jun Lozada, May 7, 2009

 

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VINDICATION! — "My decision to protest the abuses ... by this government by refusing to post bail has now yielded victory" — Jun Lozada, May 7, 2009

THE JUN LOZADA WATCH

7 May 2009 11:16pm

Earlier tonight, I had the opportunity to visit Jun Lozada at the Medical Center Manila where he's still gradually recuperating after suffering from low blood pressure and dehydration the past few days.  

I was in his room for, I guess, nearly thirty minutes.  

Before I left, I requested Jun to give his message to our people and despite his condition (with dextrose needle still embedded in his left hand), he happily obliged. He wrote the message on a regular size bond paper; it's actually a printout of my latest post, The Senate Resolution that Won Back Custody Over Jun Lozada, SRN-1049 (Adopted Resolution No. 172), Filed by Senator Mar Roxas, before coming over to Medical Center Manila.  As he began to write his message on the right-hand margin of the page, I took some pictures of Jun Lozada; it felt as if I had encountered a man who personified the best in both our national heroes, Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, all at once.  Here was a man who has courage, intelligence, love of country and fellowmen, humility and faith in abundant measure. 

This is the text of Jun's message which he wrote in Tagalog (Pilipino) from his hospital bed:

Mayo 7, 2009

MCM Hospital

Rm 8837

8:55pm

Para sa Bayang Pilipino,

Nagagalak akong makipag-ugnayan sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng sipi na ito.  Salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagsuporta sa aking pakikibaka para sa katotohanan at katarungan.

Itong araw na ito ay mahalaga sa ating laban.  Ang aking pasya na magprotesta sa pang-aabuso ng gobyernong ito sa akin sa pamamagitan ng hindi pagpiyansa ay nagbunga ng tagumpay ngayon.

Marami pang pagsubok tayong haharapin at ako ay muling humihingi ng inyong pananalangin na tayo ay patnubayang muli ng ating Panginoon.

Jun Lozada 

Here is my translation in English:

May 7, 2009

MCM Hospital

Rm 8837

8:55pm

For the Filipino People,

I am glad to communicate with you through this letter. Thank you for your continued support in my fight for truth and justice.

This day is an important one for our struggle.  My decision to protest the abuses against me by this government by refusing to post bail has now yielded victory.

We are going to face more trials ahead and I'm renewing my appeal for you to continue praying so that our Lord will guide us once again.

Jun Lozada 

I would like to commend here the Senate security detail that was guarding Jun Lozada.  For obvious reasons, I did not take pictures of them or of their deployment. I can only say that they're all polite and did not appear menacing. I had a pleasant conversation with some of them while waiting for my turn to be led inside Jun's room.  

Theirs could be one of the most important jobs in the world right now.  With custody over Jun Lozada wrestled away from the police through the petition for recognizance filed by the Senate, they are holding with them literally a national treasure. 

Even closer to Jun is his "close-in security detail" led by Sr. Mary John Mananzan and her army of sisters who have been with Jun since the beginning of his ordeal. 

And to those of us who believe that Jun Lozada is divinely protected, there is a third force of powerful unseen beings we call angels who keep watch over him.   

And yes, if this formidable security is not enough, we have our God who never sleeps nor slumbers. Nothing happens without His permission. As long as He wills it, Jun Lozada cannot be touched.  And that's where our prayers, our praise and our intercession come in.  

To God be the glory!

Author's Note:  8 May 2009, 2:30am

My scanner is still down and my camera would not communicate with my PC for me to transfer the picture of the piece of bond paper that bears Jun's message. I'll upload it as soon as I can. Thank you for bearing with me.

 

 

 

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