THOMASIAN whistleblower Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada has denied Internet rumors that he had a number of business deals with UST and received millions of kickbacks from overpriced computers installed in the University as well as the construction of the multi-deck carpark.
“No. (I) never had any deal with UST,” Lozada told the Varsitarian.
Lozada, who made headlines early this year for exposing corruption in the government’s $329-billion National Broadband Network deal with Chinese firm ZTE, said he did not supply computers to his alma mater.
Various blogs and websites claim Lozada, allegedly with the help of a UST official, was able to corner a contract to upgrade the University’s computer system, and had even “brokered” the build-operate-transfer deal for the UST carpark building on behalf of Selegna Holdings Corp., the carpark operator.
Lozada, who headed an information techonology services firm before joining the government as president of Philippine Forest Corp., said UST officials only consulted with him on how to increase the University’s bandwidth.
Lozada graduated from UST with a degree in electronics and communications engineering in 1984. Last year, he received the Faculty of Engineering’s centennial alumni award. He dared “rumor-mongers” to reveal themselves and face the public. He said he was willing to speak before to a truth forum in UST and “be confronted and examined by everyone else.”
