Busina for truth in Iloilo

Contrary to my previous perception, Iloilo City’s Catholic laity will also conduct their “busina” for truth. The multi-sectoral mobile group will converge at the flyover then proceed to SM City. The Jaro Cathedral and the 11 parishes of the city will light candles to accent their community action for the truth.

In Bacolod City, masses at various schools in the city heralded the buildup for Monday’s massive rally for the truth at the Bacolod Plaza. Thousands of lay Catholics are expected to participate in the protest action which, however, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra stressed, will not call for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

But there may have developed a split between local government officials and the leader of the Church and the Negrenses yearning for Truth collation with the statement that their (LGUs)  defense of Malacañang should be replaced by a defense for the real interest of the people and to stop mouthing the Malacañang line.

I guess Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra should call the attention of the group that they must respect the perception of others and refrain from denouncing those who hold different opinions from the public thinking that all should believe Rodolfo Lozada Jr. and that nothing else can hold the truth except what the whistleblower tells the Senate Blue Ribbons Committee.

There is nothing worse that can alienate people than the sense of self-righteousness of some quarters. We may not agree with them, or the local government officials, but name-calling is something else. Blaming them for mouthing the Malacañang line is reprehensible.

As it is, the Palace defenders are the ones who have been feeding the public with their inconsistencies and unbelievable lines.

For example, that statement by Presidential Economic Adviser Joey Salceda, governor of Albay, who called President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a lucky bitch and an ill-tempered one. But it was only after the lapsus languae that he realized he was speaking over television.

Salceda immediately apologized for that and insisted that it was just in poor taste. But a lapsus linguae often betrays the inner workings of a person’s mental state or attitude insofar as a particular topic is concerned.  Or, as pointed out a famous saying, ex abundantia cordis os loquitor (from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks).

Thus, recalling a statement made only after realizing that he had been caught on TV does not really mean much. The damage had already been done. Nothing can retrieve it.

What deepens public suspicions about Malacañang’s intent is that the Philippine Forest Corporation official’s exposé of the “sins of Lozada.” These were bared only after Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. had already testified in the Senate several times on what he knew about the ZTE-NBN broadband deal.

Even assuming that Lozada had done those things, what prevented his revealing the details of the questionable transactions even before Lozada turned around and testified against the alleged massive graft and corruption in the deal?

At least, Lozada, himself, had admitted his “sins” to Senator Miriam Santiago at the senate hearing. And unabashedly agreed that he was sorry for the mistakes mentioned. But stressed that he was only after saving his soul.

Now, we must be honest that some of the things that administration has done will never gain public acceptance despite reservations by some about Lozada and his testimony which, somehow, sound to some to have been choreographed.

The justice department had made no bones about running after Lozada and, then as an afterthought, throwing in CHED Secretary Romulo Neri.

Despite all the beautiful words from Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, one cannot help but be repelled by the focus of the DOJ investigating panel on the whistleblower instead of the other bigwigs involved in the ZTE-NBN deal.         In short, we don’t have to drag others into the controversy. The administration machinery has been working double-time to muddle the issue and they are getting entangled in their own half-lies and half-truths.

I just remember the days of yore. When the public disenchantment against the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and the First Lady, Madame Imelda, reached a point of desperation, every single natural catastrophe was billed as God’s punishment on the people for their continued tolerance of the dictatorship.

But now, hardly anybody has mentioned the series of devastating floods Eastern Samar, Lanao del Sur and parts of Bicol region, especially that hit Mindoro Oriental. But it is not farfetched to believe that the superstitious will soon sound the alarms about God’s visitation although that may be questionable for God will not punish His people for the sins of their leaders. Of course that had happened in the past, but only when the population had also given their imprimatur to their leaders insofar as their ugly deeds were concerned.*

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