MIAA exec says Lozada went out of NAIA with cop, driver

Retired general Angel Atutubo, assistant general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), on Tuesday night denied that he escorted Rodolfo Noel Lozada out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in Pasay City. In an interview with GMANews.TV, Atutubo said Lozada, a key witness in the Senate probe into the alleged anomalies in the $329.48-million National Broadband Network (NBN) project, went with a police officer and another man who drove Lozada out of the airport on board a “dirty white van." “Hindi ako ang naglabas. Normal lang na makita ako doon because I am in-charge of the security concerns at the airport, (I did not escort Lozada out of the airport. It’s normal for me to be seen at NAIA because I am in-charge of the security concerns at the airport)" he said. Earlier in the day, a female airport security personnel said she saw Atutubo escorting Lozada. A team sent by the Senate’s Sergeant-at-Arms, who was also waiting for Lozada at the airport’s arrival area, failed to see him. Journalists who were supposed to cover Lozada’s arrival also did not see him. Atutubo identified the police officer who fetched Lozada as Senior Police Officer 4 Roger Valeroso. He said he did not know the name of the man who drove Lozada out of the NAIA. “The man who introduced himself as SPO4 Roger Valeroso, called me up to tell me that he was going to fetch Lozada," said Atutubo in Filipino. They knew each other Atutubo said it appeared that Lozada and Valeroso knew each other. He said he was just a meter away from the two when he saw Lozada, who was in dark suit and pants, freely went with Valeroso. He said Valeroso was allowed to reach as far as the duty free shopping area inside the NAIA to fetch Lozada. The said area is in between the airport’s arrival gates and the immigration counters. Atutubo said Valeroso, who arrived at the airport at about 4:30 p.m., came earlier than the team sent by the Senate’s Sergeant-at-Arms, who was also waiting for Lozada at the airport’s arrival area. He said he also allowed the team from the Senate to fetch Lozada, after a certain Col. Dimapili called him on the phone, but the team arrived late. Arrest The Senate earlier issued an arrest warrant for Lozada after he failed to appear before the chamber to testify during the investigation of alleged anomalies in the NBN project. Witnesses said Lozada was aboard Cathay Pacific Flight 919 and was on seat C-18 when the plane landed at the NAIA past 4 p.m. Tuesday. Lozada left for Hong Kong on Wednesday, January 30, en route to London. His departure came on the same day he was scheduled to appear before the Senate, prompting senators to order his arrest. Lozada used to work with Higher Education Secretary Romulo Neri when he was head of the National Economic Development Authority. He is now president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Forest Corporation, an agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Lawmakers believe both Neri and Lozada have knowledge over the alleged anomalies involving a contract between the Philippine government and China’s Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Corp. for the NBN project. - GMANews.TV