KIKO PANGILINAN WARNS GOVERNMENT OF AFTERMATHS
SHOULD LOZADA BE ARRESTED

Independent Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan today warned the administration of possible public uproar should whistle-blower Jun Lozada, Jr. be jailed.

Lozada faces arrest from a perjury charge filed against him by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's former chief of staff, Michael Defensor.

Pangilinan expressed disbelief in the possible arrest of Lozada, who last year testified at the Senate on the involvement of certain government officials in the scandalous National Broadband Network Project with China's ZTE Corp.

"This is ridiculous. Bakit ang whistleblower ang makukulong? Nasaan ang hustisya kung yung inaakusahan e siyang malaya kahit lantaran ang pangungurakot?" asked Pangilinan.

"It is a sad testament to the state of our system of justice and the rule of law when those who blow the whistle on wrong doing are prosecuted and those accused and party to wrong doing remain untouched or, worse, are promoted. The public sympathy is clearly with Lozada. The government should be careful of their next step."