Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra last night called for continued vigilance of the people against corruption in government to ensure that the truth prevails.

The bishop rallied the crowd of about 2,000 who joined a “Mass for Truth” at the San Sebastian Cathedral and a via crucis to support Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada.

Navarra said the crowd that gathered last night was a very impressive show of support for the crusade for the truth that the Church will continue to lead with more activities.

At the concelebrated mass, the bishop told the congregation “We have gathered this evening because of only one purpose, to uphold and defend the truth.”

He lauded the courage of Lozada to tell the truth in the national broadband network deal where ranking officials in government allegedly shamefully sought to make huge commissions and attempted to cover up what they did by attempting to stop him from testifying.

He also noted the possible involvement of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and former COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Lozada, he said, needs the people's support for the truth to prevail.

In the past revelations of anomalies did not progress because the people did not support the need for the truth to be ferreted out, Navarra said.

The people, he said, struggle in poverty while those in power continue to get away with corruption.

The people should not continue to be blind and deaf to what is happening and stand up and defend the truth and what is right, he said, citing the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines call to communal action.

Many of those who attended the mass had one call: Let the truth prevail.

Human rights lawyer Francisco Cruz said that, for too long, the truth has been kept from the Filipino people.

Up to now there is no closure on many issues like the Garci tapes, the fertilizer scam, and many other cases, he said.

He said the attempt to stop Lozada from testifying by high ranking government officials shows that his testimony was nothing but the truth.

Let the process of seeking the truth be pursued to its conclusion by allowing Lozada to continue his testimony unhampered, Alex Ozoa of Paghiliusa sa Paghidaet said.

The people should to be vigilant by continuing to listen to the live broadcasts so that they can make their own conclusions as to whether there was corruption in high places of government, Ozoa said.

Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said he was at the mass to support the call of the church to bring out the truth in the light of Lozada's testimony.

Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor said she was there to show her support for the call for nothing but the truth.

“I'm here to show my support for the search for truth,” Bacolod businessman Rodolfo Alvarez also said.*CPG

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