WHILE Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. enjoys vast support from political and religious groups and civil society, his former subordinate at the Philippine Forest Corp. (Philforest) surfaced Thursday and divulged alleged irregularities in the agency, notably in the acquisition of plantation farms by the state from landholders supposedly related to the Senate’s star witness.

Erwin Santos, in an exclusive interview with NBN 4 television program ‘Boses’, accused Lozada of condoning irregularities of the agency.

Santos, who broke into tears, apologized to Lozada while giving details on the alleged “crimes” that they were both involved in, and asked his former boss to, like him, own up to all these and pay the price.

Under Lozada’s stint, Santos said, procurements made by the agency did not go through the normal bidding process.

“I repeatedly told him a long time ago that we have to be careful with our procurement procedures… .These have to be clear. All procurements were not passing through bidding,” Santos said in Filipino.

These, he said, include the procurement of office supplies and service contracts entered into by the agency besides the “20 to 30” beneficiaries under the “Lupang Hinirang” program.

Santos also denied he was the source of the information presented by Sen. Miriam Santiago indicating irregularities committed by Lozada during his stint at Philforest.

“Jun [Lozada] called me twice, blaming me for what was released by Senator Miriam. He told me, ‘Bonj, if you’re gonna play Judas, do it all the way.’”

Santos repeatedly denied that he was forced by anybody to come out and expose irregularities against Lozada.

“I am confused. Should I be telling the truth or keep this thing from public scrutiny? If I tell this, I have friends on the other side... Jun is my friend,” Santos said, as he broke into tears.

“I just cannot keep it,” he added, noting that he is willing to turn state witness for the sake of the truth.

Santos said he respects Lozada’s decision to come out and disclose what he knows on the national broadband network-ZTE deal, but appealed to Lozada to take responsibility for wrongdoings at Philforest.

“I have been part of the crimes he did. Sir Jun, if we both have to be punished for this, or go to jail, let’s accept that,” Santos said.

Don’t be alarmed by troop movements

GEN. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff, on Thursday advised the public not to be alarmed by troop movements in Metro Manila as the military has been called to augment the police in maintaining peace during the planned protest action on Monday in Metro Manila to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the first people power revolt.

THE Armed Forces is closely following the developments in the political front but assured that it will never break away from the duly constituted government.

WHILE Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. enjoys vast support from political and religious groups and civil society,

ALTHOUGH the call-center attrition rate is 5 percent to 10 percent and lower than its neighboring-outsourcing countries, business-process outsourcing (BPO) executives are determined to reduce it by addressing its deep-rooted causes through leadership training.

DAVAO CITY—Owners of many idle lands in downtown Davao and suburbs would get to meet the many call-center operators in Manila and Cebu looking at relocating or expanding their operation here in a forum aimed at bridging the information gap between them.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) acknowledged there is not much it can do about foreign banks selling dollar-denominated insurance policies to residents and having the transaction consummated abroad.

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has further eased rules on foreign tourists by allowing them to immediately avail themselves of an extended length of stay upon arrival, it was learned Thursday.