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NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada surrenders after graft conviction

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ABS-CBN News

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EXCLUSIVE BREAKING: NBN-ZTE deal whistleblower Jun Lozada voluntarily surrenders to the NBI after his arrest warrant was released by the Sandiganbayan. Also arrested is his brother Jose Orlando Lozada. Details to follow. <a href="https://t.co/uejuokrgPA">pic.twitter.com/uejuokrgPA</a>— Niko Baua (@Nikobaua) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nikobaua/status/1532301748848979968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the whistleblower in the Philippine government’s scandal-ridden broadband network deal with Chinese company ZTE Corp., surrendered to authorities on Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in a graft case that also involved his brother. Lozada turned himself in to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with his brother. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LOOK: Arrest warrant issued by the 4th Division of the Sandiganbayan for Jun Lozada and his brother Jose Orlando. <a href="https://t.co/iPzyZKl7rp">pic.twitter.com/iPzyZKl7rp</a>— Niko Baua (@Nikobaua) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nikobaua/status/1532327278163939328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>The 4th Division of the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant for Lozada and his brother, Jose Orlando.The warrant was issued after the Supreme Court upheld the graft conviction of Lozada. The graft case centered on Lozada’s awarding to his brother of a leasehold right of some 6.599 hectares of public land, as president and chief executive officer of the state-owned Philippine Forest Corporation (PhilForest) in 2007.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/23/16/whistleblower-jun-lozada-found-guilty-of-graft ">Whistleblower Jun Lozada found guilty of graft</a></li></ul>Lozada earlier said he believed that the SC ruling had something to do with his exposè on the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with ZTE. “My appeal at the Supreme Court was denied. They affirmed my conviction by the Sandigan (Sandiganbayan) to a 6-10 years prison term at the Bilibid (New Bilibid Prisons),” Lozada said in a message to reporters late last month. “My enemies made good with their threats that they will make me regret for telling the truth,&quot; he added.Lozada coordinated with the NBI Special Action Unit last Monday that he intends to surrender to them once his arrest warrant was released. He also submitted an undertaking of voluntary surrender.In a series of Senate hearings from 2007 to 2008, Lozada alleged that officials of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration tried to pocket millions of pesos worth of grease money for the NBN-ZTE deal. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/11/24/08/timeline-exposing-zte-overprice">TIMELINE: Exposing the ZTE Overprice</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/11/10/09/blue-ribbon-seeks-raps-vs-arroyo-fg-nbn-zte-deal">(UPDATE 4) Blue Ribbon seeks probe vs Arroyo, raps vs FG for NBN-ZTE deal</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/11/10/09/%E2%80%98crying%E2%80%99-whistleblower-slams-nbn-zte-probe-report">‘Crying’ whistleblower slams NBN-ZTE probe report</a></li></ul>The scandal resulted in the filing of graft cases against Arroyo, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and others, which later ended in their acquittal.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/12/29/11/arroyos-nbn-zte-graft-case-be-raffled-jan-2">Ombudsman files graft charges vs GMA for NBN-ZTE deal</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/11/07/12/court-starts-nbn-linked-graft-case-vs-arroyo">Court starts NBN-linked graft case vs Arroyo</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/16/16/sandiganbayan-dismisses-nbn-zte-graft-case-vs-arroyos">Sandiganbayan dismisses NBN-ZTE graft case vs Arroyos</a></li></ul>Lozada is 59 years old. He faces a minimum imprisonment of 6 years and one month, and maximum imprisonment of 10 years and one day, according to the resolution of the High Court.Lozada said he will not change the statements he made about the NBN-ZTE deal. He remains hopeful despite his imprisonment.Lozada also thanked everyone who supported him ever since he made his exposé in 2007. Lozada and his brother underwent processing in the NBI detention center. They will remain there until an order is released for them to be transferred to the National Bilibid Prison. — With a report from Niko Baua, ABS-CBN News

Jun Lozada, whistleblower in government’s NBN–ZTE deal corruption scandal, surrendered to authorities after the Supreme Court upheld his graft conviction.