SENIOR police officers and airport personnel implicated in the alleged abduction of ZTE star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. last Feb. 5 snubbed the Senate hearing yesterday, citing their right against self-incrimination.

They were Chief Supt. Romeo Hilomen, head of the Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO); PSPO deputy chief Sr. Supt. Paul Mascariñas, Chief Supt. Atilano Morada, head of the PNP-Aviation Security Group; Brig. Gen. (ret.) Angel Atutubo, chief of security of the Manila International Airport Authority, Rodolfo Valeroso, SPO3 Lou Ochea, SPO2 Glicerio Gallinera (PSPO), SPO2 Jaime Halog, SPO2 Nelson Malto, and PO1 William Quililan.

"The guest/resource persons invited today had the intention of appearing and testifying with regard to the alleged disappearance of NBN-ZTE witness Rodolfo Lozada Jr. Some of them appeared, in good faith, and cooperated with the Committee in the hearing last February 11 under the impression that the questions to be asked of them would be in aid of legislation. To their utter surprise, however, Senator Jamby Madrigal, who sits in this very committee, immediately filed a criminal charges of obstruction of justice against those who spoke and testified in the last hearing, and worse used statements made during the same hearing as basis for the filing of the said complaint," lawyer Felisberto Verano said in his letter to Blue Ribbon chair Alan Peter Cayetano.

The respondents also cited the speech of Sen. Benigno Aquino III in the Feb. 11 hearing where he "merely called upon the Senate to immediately cause the arrest and detention" of them "until such time that they recognize that we are a co-equal branch of the government."

Madrigal filed the complaint last Friday before the Department of Justice against the officials as well as President Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, acting Higher Education chair Romulo Neri, Manuel Gaite, deputy executive secretary and his staff, Marcelino Agana IV and Remedios Poblador, presidential adviser on special concerns.

In her 24-page complaint, Madrigal sought indictments for the respondents’ attempt to prevent Lozada from testifying in the Senate.

Also included in the charge sheet were PNP chief Avelino Razon, Octavio Lina, NAIA general manager for security and emergency, former presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor, and lawyer Antonio Bautista.

Verano quoted his clients as saying that the NBN-ZTE inquiry is no longer in "aid of legislation" but in "aid of prosecution."

Only Lozada, his sister Carmen and Bro. Felipe Belleya, president of the La Salle Greenhills Alumni Association, were present in the Senate inquiry.

"I am very disappointed that they have chosen not to attend. They were all over the media giving interviews but they did not attend the hearing when what they said is under oath," Cayetano said.

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said as officers of the law, it is highly inappropriate for police personnel to publicly comment on cases pending before an independent constitutional body (Ombudsman).

But he said PNP Legal Services will talk to the Senate to excuse senior police officers from attending the next hearing on Thursday. – Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa