BY EVANGELINE DE VERA

RODOLFO Valeroso, the retired sergeant linked to the February 5 abduction of ZTE star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., yesterday returned the latter's passport.

Valeroso's counsel Eric Santos presented the passport number XX000-2496 to Lozada in front of Court of Appeals magistrates during the hearing for the petition for amparo filed by Lozada's family.

Valeroso, now a "consultant" of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, was one of the respondents in the amparo suit, but was a no-show.

The Court noted that the passport was marked with a departure stamp of the Bureau of Immigration on January 30 and stamp of arrival in Hong Kong, but there was no mark of Lozada's return from Hong Kong last February 5.

Lozada's lawyer Edwin Lacierda said this development is significant because it confirmed the testimony of his client that he was forcibly taken by government authorities.

"Kaya nga ayoko siya (Violet) madadamay dahil natatakot siya sa mga pangyayari sa akin. Lalo na ngayon lumabas na ang passport ko na walang tatak. Mukhang palalabasin na hindi ako dumating ng Pilipinas," Lozada said.

Santos said Valeroso "tried" to return the passport several times but "did not have the chance."

At the continuation of the hearing, government lawyers questioned Lozada's petition for court protection because he is under the protective custody of the Senate.

Assistant Solicitor General Amparo Tang further questioned the move of Lozada's lawyers to amend the name of petitioner in the petition for amparo from that of his brother Arturo to his own name.

Tang argued that if the name of the petitioner would be changed, the entire petition should also be changed.