Jailed NBN-ZTE deal star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr. on Thursday said his willingness to go with arresting authorities on Wednesday is not surrender but a sign of protest to face his family's abusers.

In a handwritten letter shown to media, Lozada said his arrest was another attempt by the Arroyo administration to cover-up its misdeeds in the NBN-ZTE case.

"I reiterate my stand that my decision is not a surrender but rather it is standing my ground to face my family's abusers. I value liberty but I value truth more. I am now asking [Michael] Defensor & Malacañang to substantiate their accusations against me & I will stand by my word that M. Defensor is doing this to cover up for Gloria Arroyo's criminal involvement in the NBN-ZTE deal," he said in the letter shown to reporters by Sr. Estrella Castalone, executive secretary of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines.

The note added: "A speedy trial in a fair court is all I'm asking for. (Signed) Jun Lozada."

Lozada earlier said he will not post bail for his temporary liberty to hasten the resolution of the perjury case filed against him by Michael Defensor.

"Posting bail would only prolong the hearing. I have seen how this kind of situation affects my family. This is my way of at least speeding up the process," Lozada told radio dzMM.

Manila policemen on Wednesday afternoon arrested Lozada, key witness in the NBN-ZTE deal, from his safehouse at the De La Salle University (DLSU) in Greenhills, San Juan City.

The arresting team arrived at the Brother's House past 2 p.m. and served Lozada the warrant of arrest issued by the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) of Manila Branch 26, which earlier dismissed the perjury case filed by Michael Defensor, President Arroyo's former chief of staff.

The MTC issued the arrest warrant after its ruling was reversed by Judge Cicero Jurado Jr. of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11.

Ironic

Lozada earlier said it was ironic that he will be arrested for "lying." Defensor accused the star witness of making conflicting statements before the Senate and the Court of Appeals regarding the NBN-ZTE deal controversy.

"It hurts because of all the cases filed against me, I will be arrested for lying," he said, adding that he could not believe that of all the liars involved in the scam, he never thought that he will be the one to be ordered arrested by the courts.

Lozada, meanwhile, said that because of this "latest development," sisters and priests at the Brother's House started conducting counselling for his children. He said that according to the nuns, his children's sense of justice have been "completely shattered" by the arrest order.

While admitting that he was not prepared for the arrest, Lozada said he still has no regrets.

He said he will stand by his earlier testimonies on the allegedly anomalous multi-million broadband project between the Philippine government and Chinese firm Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company Limited (ZTE).

Defensor filed the perjury case against Lozada after the latter testified that Defensor asked him to lie at the Senate hearings on the $329-million broadband deal scam.

In his testimony during a hearing of the petition for a writ of amparo before the Court of Appeals, Lozada said he was instructed by Defensor to tell the Senate that there were no irregularities in the controversial deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

“He (Defensor) told me Madam (President Arroyo) was hurting… Pero hindi ko po kayang magsinungaling (but I could not afford to lie),” Lozada told the appellate court.