Drop victim act, ex-govt execs tell Mike Defensor

MANILA, Philippines - Former senior government officials on Thursday told former presidential chief of staff and defeated senatorial bet Michael Defensor to drop his "victim act" following the arrest of ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. The Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) said it is clear that Defensor is still covering up for the aborted abduction of Lozada last year. "We call on Mike Defensor to stop posturing as if he is the aggrieved person, even as he was clearly a participant in the cover-up of what became an aborted abduction of Jun Lozada. What moral values does he hope to impart to his young children with his vain and obstinate defense of injured pride, while participating in the cover-up of gross abuses against our people and our laws?" it said in a statement on its Web site. Defensor, who lodged a perjury charge against Lozada before a Manila court, had denied Malacañang's hand in Lozada's arrest Wednesday. FSGO branded Defensor's perjury charges as "flimsy and concocted." It added that Lozada's arrest "stands in stark contrast" to the freedom and"impunity" enjoyed by Palace allies linked to other multimillion-peso scams. Among such allies are former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, Social Security System head Romulo Neri, former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, and former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. FSGO also noted the freedom of former Securities and Exchange Commission official Jesus Martinez, and retired Philippine National Police comptroller Eliseo dela Paz. "The minions of the current regime find it all too easy to persecute to the fullest all those who expose its abuses, and oppose its corruption and bad governance. Whistleblowers are harassed and hounded, even as obvious prevaricators and practitioners of corruption are protected, promoted, and highly rewarded. What kind of message do we thus send to our people -- that good is punished and evil rewarded?" it said. The FSGO also lamented Lozada’s persecution "demonstrates how truth has been sacrificed at the altar of immoderate greed." "We enjoin all sectors of our society to protest Lozada’s incarceration in the strongest terms, and show to the world that we are not helpless in fighting for our rights and freedoms, that we have not, as a people, surrendered to evil," it said. - GMANews.TV