The spectacle of the main witness against the administration, Jun Lozada, squirming in trying to explain himself in the face of people who could actually punch holes into the tales that he was telling is the best proof that sending her people to legislative inquiries is the better strategy.

True, the chicanery of her administration also surfaces in these investigations; but, the presence of her administration in these investigations assures a more even playing field, When they are not present, all sorts of wild tales can be told about her government and it looks like she has a lot of secrets that she does not want revealed and no one is around to handle the defense of her administration.

Of course, when her people are unable to explain themselves and what is being investigated, points can be scored against her administration; but this is still the better way of handling things instead of hiding potential witnesses and ignoring summonses from congressional bodies.

Thus, if the administration is hurt by the stories that people like Jun Lozada tell, it is not really the doing of a Senate and a House that wants to bring down her administration, it is also the result of her administration’s penchant for ignoring the legislature on practically all matters.

Thus, she ought to accept the blame in large part, for her government’s bad public ratings.

***

The idea of having Senate Witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada face criminal charges for perceived graft when he was president of the Philippine Forrest Corp. (PFC) will again backfire against Gloria Arroyo.

Like the "abduction" or "protection" that Lozada was subjected to, any move against him will be perceived as the high hand of Malacañang. It will look to the general public who think of him as a brave and honest man. This will also look to the CBCP that has called him a hero and to others as a way of trying to silence a witness against her adminis-tration’s chicanery.

Lozada has admitted to making "some mistakes" such as purchasing an insurance policy for the GOCC from his wife as insurance agent from which she was paid a commission, irregularities in the purchase of some vehicles and other possible violations.

When a senator brought this up in the Senate hearing, Lozada said: "I would admit to that. I would admit in public and to the nation that there are certain things that I did in my life that in my life that upon reflection I would lose some respect to myself but all the remaining respect I have in myself, madam, I don’t want to lose. I’d like whatever respect I have in myself to keep it. If I go along with this NBN, I guess I’m going to lose it all. I’m afraid I’m going to lose my soul. Yes, I have to admit to that. Mea culpa."

Any action taken against Lozada will only make him a martyr.

In truth, based on Lozada’s own statements, it would seem to me that he couldn’t be as clean as his supporters paint him to be. After all did he not say that a small kickback – $60 million in as deal as large as the NBN – would be acceptable to him but something exceeding $60 million (in a deal as large as the NBN) was no longer "morally right"?

How the CBCP can support someone with this sort of immoral philosophy where what is moral is determined by the amounts of money accepted as a bribe is really beyond me.

***

The Autohub Group of Companies has donated a Grand Starex TQ TCI M/T, a Chery QQ, and a Sinski Motorcycle scooter as hole-in-one prizes for the 6th Golf Classic Tournament of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Course in Tagaytay City, on Monday, March 03. Other hole-in-one prizes are two (2) caliber 45 1911-A1 semi–automatic pistols sponsored by the Arms Corporation Of the Philippine (ARMSCOR).

Other major sponsors for the event are Universal Motors Corporation, Philippine Steel Holdings Corporation, AGC Flat Glass Alliance Of The Philippines, Inc., Petron Corporation, Total Philippines, Security Bank, Tin Can Manufacturers Association Of The Philippines (TCMAPI) and Asian Terminal.

Donors include: RI Chemical Corporation, Philippine Sugar Millers Association, Dusit Nikko Hotel, Nestle Philippines, Pioneer Insurance, Petron Corporation.

The tournament fee is P4,000. Golf committee chairman is Renato Ermita of AGP Flat Glass Philippines, Inc.

Proceeds from this event will be used for FPI’s continuing advocacy in promoting the global competitiveness of Philippine industries. To join, contact the Golf Committee/FPI Secretariat at Telephone Nos. 722-3409, 721-9642, & 727-4395, Fax No. 722-9737 or email fpi@philonline.com or fpi@fpi.ph.

***

At Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club last Monday, Oliver M. Villavicencio, a visiting Fil-Am playing at an informal media golf event, hit his Titleist Nxt-Tour #2 ball with his King Cobra 6 Iron over 140 yards for a hole-in-one at Hole 16 at the East Course. He was playing – for his very first time at Wack-Wack. In his foursome were Corrie Nerisma, Nilo Paurom and Conrad Banal, all of the Inquirer. Oliver is the brother of Nilo Paurom’s wife, Ruby.

The event also celebrated the birthday last Saturday of Malaya editor Joy de los Reyes.