Of Jun Lozada and Gen. Alexander Yano

Reveille

By Ramon J. Farolan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
04/27/2009

More than a year ago, Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada became a household name in Philippine society with his revelations about a $329-million deal for the establishment of a telecommunications network system, intended to link all units of government. Originally a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project, the entrance of then-Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos into the picture changed things to one funded by a concessional loan from the People’s Republic of China, with a Chinese firm, ZTE Corp., as the supplier.
Just to refresh our short memories:
Jun Lozada in his press conference at La Salle Green Hills revealed that the initial project cost was only $262 million but there was an overprice of almost 100 percent because of a $130 million commission allegedly being demanded by Abalos. In an attempt to stop him from testifying before the Senate, Lozada was met upon arrival from Hong Kong VIP-style, no immigration, no customs formalities. Then he was taken on a Grand Tour of the South Superhighway and adjacent areas, complete with heavy police escort before being brought back to La Salle Green Hills. Whatever was the real reason for the unusual treatment, the message was clear—don’t mess around with this administration.
As I mentioned in my column of Feb. 11, 2008, Lozada, who describes himself as just a “probinsyanong Intsik,” must represent a serious danger to the Arroyo government. Less than 24 hours after his press conference, the big guns of the administration had all the ammunition to fire against Lozada—proof not so much of the sins he may have committed as Philippine Forest Corp. president, but of the ruthless power that can be generated to demolish those who dare displease the gods.
A collateral action resulting from Lozada’s alleged inconsistent testimonies at the Senate and the Court of Appeals was a perjury charge filed by the former presidential chief of staff, Mike Defensor. Last November, the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court dismissed Defensor’s complaint. But the Manila Regional Trial Court reversed this decision last month. Now an arrest warrant is expected to be issued.
Jun Lozada saved the Filipino taxpayer $329 million, or some P16 billion, half of which would have gone to the pockets of “commissioners” connected with the Arroyo administration. Since the amount involved was going to be a loan from the Chinese government, we, our children and grandchildren would have had to pay off the loan through the years, just as we had to pay off the loan that was used to put up the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant that went nowhere.
How come we are going to arrest Jun Lozada while nothing is being done about the “commissioners” and other government officials who attempted to hoodwink us into shouldering such a heavy burden just to enrich themselves?
How come nothing is being done about Joc-joc Bolante, who is the alleged mastermind of the P728-million fertilizer fund scam? It has been some time now since he returned from the United States and all is quiet in the Office of the Ombudsman and the Arroyo government that, in the first place, appointed him agriculture undersecretary, when the scam was carried out?
How come no one has been charged in the P1.3-billion election computerization deal which was denounced by the Supreme Court?
We have a distorted justice system in this country—one for the Arroyo boys, another for guys like Jun Lozada and the Magdalo junior officers who were double-crossed by the government.
In this connection, beware of Charter change. Whatever is being bruited about concerning the need for economic revisions in our Constitution, the real aim of the proponents of Charter change is to keep in power the same people who have been in office for the last nine years.
* * *
The rumors are flying all over Camp Aguinaldo.
Gen. Alexander Yano, AFP chief of staff, will not even last until June 13, his official retirement date. J-3 (Operations at GHQ) has been tasked to prepare for change of command ceremonies that should take place any time now. First, it was May 25, then May 15; the latest is this Friday, May 1st. However, since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to leave for Cairo on May 1st, the ceremonies could take place even earlier. Or if the May 1st date pushes through, Vice President Noli de Castro or Secretary Gilbert Teodoro could preside over the turnover affair. This would be a first for any administration.
Remember Gen. Eric Shinseki, the US Army chief of staff who displeased the Bush administration with his remarks on the Iraq invasion? His retirement ceremonies were boycotted by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy Paul Wolfowitz, the officials usually in attendance on these occasions in the US armed forces.
No problem for J-3! With so many change of command ceremonies under their belt—this will be the 11th chief of staff—the boys can do their thing with eyes closed.
Gen. Alex Yano is scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon from a trip to Australia where he met with Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the chief of the Australian Defense Forces, and from a visit with Adm. Timothy Keating, commander, Pacific Command, in Honolulu. He was accompanied by the Secretary General Staff (SGS), Col. Angelito de Leon. There is no truth to the rumor that he had been making farewell calls on his ASEAN counterparts.
* * *
Last Saturday, I delivered the commencement address at the graduation exercises of the Master in Management (M.M.) class of the Asian Institute of Management. It was a homecoming of sorts as in 1975, I finished the same course, along with students from several countries in the region. We were the guinea pigs for the new program, an 11-month, intensive business leadership course for mid-career managers.
My message to the graduates:
In a few hours you go back to the working world. There will be no can groups, no case studies. You will be faced with judgements to make, not just about jobs but about the future of our country. We are moving into a crucial stage in the political life of the nation. Lately we have made it to a number of embarrassing situations; the greediest, the most corrupt, the many unsolved killings. Certainly these are issues that call for our attention, our voices, our outrage.
As one of my favorite military heroes, Gen. Colin Powell, the first African-American Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and also the first African-American Secretary of State, put it: “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off. Leadership is not a popularity contest. Trying to please everyone or trying not to offend anyone puts you on the road to mediocrity. Making people mad is part of being a leader.”
If you see greed, if you see corruption, if you see injustice, you don’t have to be a Colin Powell to get mad, to sound off and to make a difference. Stand up and be counted.