NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada surrenders after graft conviction | ABS-CBN

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NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada surrenders after graft conviction

NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada surrenders after graft conviction

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Jun 03, 2022 12:04 AM PHT

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MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the whistleblower in the Philippine government’s scandal-ridden broadband network deal with Chinese company ZTE Corp., surrendered to authorities on Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in a graft case that also involved his brother.

Lozada turned himself in to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with his brother.

The 4th Division of the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant for Lozada and his brother, Jose Orlando.

The warrant was issued after the Supreme Court upheld the graft conviction of Lozada.

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The graft case centered on Lozada’s awarding to his brother of a leasehold right of some 6.599 hectares of public land, as president and chief executive officer of the state-owned Philippine Forest Corporation (PhilForest) in 2007.

Lozada earlier said he believed that the SC ruling had something to do with his exposè on the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with ZTE.

“My appeal at the Supreme Court was denied. They affirmed my conviction by the Sandigan (Sandiganbayan) to a 6-10 years prison term at the Bilibid (New Bilibid Prisons),” Lozada said in a message to reporters late last month.

“My enemies made good with their threats that they will make me regret for telling the truth," he added.

Lozada coordinated with the NBI Special Action Unit last Monday that he intends to surrender to them once his arrest warrant was released. He also submitted an undertaking of voluntary surrender.

In a series of Senate hearings from 2007 to 2008, Lozada alleged that officials of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration tried to pocket millions of pesos worth of grease money for the NBN-ZTE deal.

The scandal resulted in the filing of graft cases against Arroyo, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and others, which later ended in their acquittal.

Lozada is 59 years old. He faces a minimum imprisonment of 6 years and one month, and maximum imprisonment of 10 years and one day, according to the resolution of the High Court.

Lozada said he will not change the statements he made about the NBN-ZTE deal. He remains hopeful despite his imprisonment.

Lozada also thanked everyone who supported him ever since he made his exposé in 2007.

Lozada and his brother underwent processing in the NBI detention center. They will remain there until an order is released for them to be transferred to the National Bilibid Prison.

— With a report from Niko Baua, ABS-CBN News

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