I don’t think anyone still remembers Jun Lozada. He was a footnote in history, a victim of Power and Greed. A year after that fiasco of ZTN-NBN, who would still follow this guy even if they believe him? Am I the only one who thinks these stories, they’re like bad television.
So Jun Lozada has been charged with perjury. It only took the government, what..? Over twelve months to file charges against this guy? And Mike Defensor was the instrument by which this knife was struck.
Over a year ago, I wrote Hope Springs Eternal:
“Much to do about nothing,” I said about this whole second act of the National Broadband scandal. After all, these scandals, the extent, the greed, the treachery, the depth of it all no longer surprises me. Another whistleblower, no matter the drama or how engaging the story is would not bring Arroyo’s government down. It will turn into a farce, and Mr. Lozada will not bring Arroyo down, no matter how disgusted everyone is with her government, with how she and family exercises power. Our People remember what happened to Estrada, and Gloria was what we got. The standing argument is a huge sign flashing, “dangerous to walk that same path”.
Of course, it would have been different if during one of those street protest, Jun Lozada said he was running for President on a platform of change.
I’m dead serious.
Think about it. That was the perfect moment to contrive to change a broken Republic. Public opinion was on his side and the momentum of that drama was Lozada’s. Hell, if Lozada “revealed” to the public right then and there what he knew, that could have been a catalyst for people power.
Lozada, or more appropriately his handlers didn’t have the killer instinct. I suspect because they themselves didn’t want power and the responsibility associated with it. They didn’t have that fighting killer instinct. They didn’t dare enough. Jun Lozada faded away after that didn’t he? His star fell over night because there wasn’t fuel. It also killed future chances and the credibility of street protests. Why should anyone side with a losing streak?
And now, here we are, over a year later and these charges of perjury, which is a mistake I think. Can’t the Palace and their minions realize, Lozada was done? He was neutralized. No one would have followed him. He doesn’t even have a chance to run for national office.
The Palace should have left sleeping dogs lie.
I always thought Mike Defensor was one of the more sensible of the President’s men. Yet this charge of perjury against Lozada would simply open a can of worms. It brings back ZTN-NBN— and whether you believe Jun Lozada or not, the memory adds to the already tarnished reputation of the Palace.
The argument could have been the Palace had nothing more to lose. Let the can of worms out. Lozada couldn’t do anything anymore. Are they that arrogant to take that chance? It certainly is in their DNA to be this vindictive.
The fifteen minutes of fame Mike Defensor gets is good advertising, if he’s ever interested for a position in 2010 and beyond. There is no such thing as bad publicity, all at the expense of Jun Lozada and his family.
Jun Lozada gets another round of 15 minutes too. A lot of good that will do him or his family or the Filipino People. I guess that’s the price of indecision, the disease that is gripping this nation.
I can name the people who benefits from this. Old Media get eyeballs. Our friendly neighborhood barber gets new material to talk with and coffee shops will be abuzz by this. And oh, bloggers like me can’t help but write about it. The biggest loser of course is the people because at the end of the day, nothing changes. This doesn’t advance our people’s agenda. Shame really: all drama, sound and fury signifying nothing.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Cocoy, you are not saying we are all resigned to our fate, are you?
In case there are two "engines" being warmed up, a Lozada heats up for senator and a Mike taking the steam?
I cannot but agree that "there is no such thing as bad publicity". Between the two, Mike might be getting the longer part of the bargain.
Primer, nope. i'm saying this is what is. nothing more, nothing less. But here's the opportunity… people are waiting for steel, and action and courage and decision making.
The Lozada brand needs to get fixed. Right now people see the guy as a failed whistleblower, a troublemaker hell bent only in throwing a wrench at government. Who cares anymore if he was right or wrong? With the "failed" Lozada brand so goes too civil society's credibility. Until, and when Civil Society and the middle class by extension decides that they will not leave this country's fate in the hands of others but their own… well here we are.
Neither would it then be some kind of anti-middle class bias or allergies caused by Civil Society?
Quite more pessimistically, our country's fate seems to have been driven off the cliff by the social classes at the base of our pyramid?
Renato Pacifico calls them "mga gung-gong" (no offense intended on this class but the social determinism that is a curse).
Primer, i don't think the "lower" classes are to blame. decent people, middle class and the other lower classes just don't like power and responsibility so they've allowed the big boys so much latitude. i mean, seriously in every city, in every province, on the national level… real governance is done behind closed doors. So, we the people are to be blamed.
if the wrong people are elected into public office, i think it isn't a question of who elects them but why are there fewer good people running for public office? my point being: garbage in, garbage out.
There used to be a lot of good who ran for public office. I'll go out on a limb to say these good people won in the A&B segment but lost in the C&D segment.
However, the C&D segments were up for grabs and trapos were in a feeding frenzy buying votes and dispensing favors – and most of the C&D wouldn't have it any other way for the reason that elections is the only time they can get something out of the politicians; that after the elections the politicians will do their thing and throw all promises down the drain; therefore, the premise of the C&D group was better get now since none will be coming later – it does not matter who wins.
And by golly, the C&D group outnumbers the combined numbers of the A&B segments.
Guess who wins no matter how many good men run?
The likes of decent highly qualified people like Raul Roco didn't have a chance right from the get-go.
Pampanga is a good place to start; it is a good example. it isn't perfect but the guy who won is much better than the alternative, wouldn't you say?
hay naku, yan lozada na yan, napaka self righteous, sya numero unong namumulitiko.
kala mo kung sinong banal. paiyak iyak pa, corrupt din sya
kung gusto nya mamatay at makulong lahat ng corrupt, mauna na sya
one thing is for sure… none of us are innocent.
For instance, if Juan dela Cruz, being a good man, runs for public office say Mayor of Antipolo City or Congressman of Antipolo City, does he stand a chance to win in a culture too feudal, too clannish, and where political families or the elites rule?
If there are tricks in the book, sell it to me cocoy and I will throw my hat into the ring. Joke lang.
i think there should be some sort of… "organized resistance". Which places are "vulnerable" for the taking. Is it better to take the House? Can it be done at all? How about the cities? Who do you field? No one is perfectly clean. What plan is there? these are the questions i think civil society fail to address. They're just angry. But there is no plan or no interest to do it themselves to fix things from the inside. That's just my impression.
Mike Defensor is the Attack Dog of the administration. To silence all those who point out the corruption
and graft, plunders, disappearing funds, etc…done by the Arroyo husband and wife team.
The person has no sense of decency. He works for anybody in power. Maybe he is corrupt to the bone
also.
Political Bounty Hunter, huh?
Mr. Jun Losezada and his cohorts are under the impression that the rule of law in this country does not recognize and acknowledge the concept of burden of proof – them Losezada and his confederacy think that if they allege, they don’t need to prove – yikes, debauchery at its best!
No way, Jun Lozada is NOT forgotten! Neither in the Philippines nor abroad…
Being a Norwegian tourist visiting your country during the days when he “blew the whistle”, I’ll never forget him. Nor will I forget the reactions of HOPE he created among Philippinos.
OK, you have had hopes before – and too many disappointments… May be one reason is that you forget too fast, don’t support those among you that CAN make a difference? Like Jun Lozada. After all, he has proved he’s got guts, conscience and even humility.
If you let people like him down, you have no one but yourself to blame for letting your country – and your countrymen… – suffer from corruption, poverty and abuse.
A country gets the leadership it deserves. Does the Philippines deserve Jun Lozada?
I remember Jun Lozada, not as a victim but a corrupt government official too!