Atimonan case: From massacre to conspiracy?

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is done with their 76-page report sent to Malacañang on the Atimonan massacre last Jan. 6 except for the motive. Please don’t tell me that the NBI still hasn’t found the motive after more than a month of investigation? No less than Justice (DoJ) Secretary Leila de Lim herself ordered the NBI to investigate that controversial and still missing red bag that an ABS-CBN reporter was able to capture in his video camera, when he arrived at the crime scene. In my book that “motive” can be found inside that missing red.

So where is that red bag? I hope the NBI comes up with a report on that bag and its contents. Why was it removed from the crime scene where nothing is supposed to be removed? It brings us to the story of one of the victims’ relatives who insisted that one of those killed was carrying a bag full of money. How much? We don’t know and this is supposed to be the job of the NBI to find out… but apparently they haven’t done their job well enough.

Worse for the NBI is the report they sent to Malacañang was “leaked” to the press, which is why we can write this article today. An irate Sec. Leila de Lima vowed to find out who leaked that NBI report before the President could make a public announcement on this investigation. Hmmm this simple massacre has now become more complex in that, pundits are already saying that there is a conspiracy to hide the truth from the public.

Indeed, we have already learned that the crime scene was tampered with, that victims had no chance as they were fired upon after a truck blocked their way… and worst, some of the victims were shot in very close range, one even only two feet away. So are we really getting into the truth about this massacre, or will Malacañang join the fray and join the conspiracy? Mind you, early in the investigation the top officers of this killer team revealed that they had the approval of Malacañang. So what really is the truth behind this massacre? So will we really learn the truth about this?

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Remember Engr. Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada? He was a celebrity whistle blower that the opposition used in exposing the alleged, but ill-fated P329 million NBN-ZTE broadband network scandal during the time of then Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, where he went into hiding fearful for his life, after all he was accusing the powers-that-be. But now that his friends from the former opposition are in power in Malacañang, Jun Lozada is once more strangely back into hiding under the habits of the friendly nuns because of a graft case filed against him when he was still the president of the Philippine Forestry Corporation (PFC).

Jun Lozada may have helped expose the alleged (I say alleged because as of this date, the cases filed against the former President has been dropped by the Sandiganbayan and the Supreme Court) corruption of the Arroyo administration, however the case filed against him apparently happened way back in 2007 and 2008. With this new revelation, can we safely assume that Jun Lozada “pre-empted” his criminal cases by helping the opposition, and seeking the solace of those innocent and unwary nuns?

Take a good look at the case that has caused Jun Lozada to go into hiding again. When he was president of PFC, he granted leasehold rights to the Transforma Quinta, Inc. wherein he and his wife Ma. Violeta Lozada were allegedly  involved  as  representatives. His other case was similar… where he awarded leasehold rights to a 6.59 hectare public land to his brother Orlando Lozada. As the late Sir Max Soliven used to quip…”Susmariosep!”

These cases filed against Jun Lozada are serious graft cases that happened before he became a celebrity whistler blower. Yet he says that the cases are another form of harassment against him. But who is harassing him? Well, why don’t we take it from Sec. Sonny Coloma of the Malacañang Palace group who assured him that he was not in any kind of threat.

But Jun Lozada insists that armed men riding in a motorcycle came to his house. But why go into hiding when he can request for police protection? The plot grows thicker. Perhaps it is time for us to tell those innocent nuns that aiding and abetting a man running from justice is also a criminal offense. If he is truly innocent as he declares himself to be… let him answer the charges in the courts like everyone else.

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We all saw that colored photo of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Commander Ustadz Habier Malik with his heavily armed men standing in their camp in Jolo, Sulu and the caption read, “Military won’t meddle in Sayyaf-MNLF fighting.” Don’t you think that caption should have declared, “Armed men seen in total violation of Comelec gun ban?”  This is our best proof that the country under Daan Matuwid, still live under a double standard of justice. This a mockery of our election laws and the gun ban.

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