“Even hope can be stolen by corruption.”

Speaking before a group of Catholic laity yesterday, ZTE-NBN deal star witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada said he realized corruption in the country, particularly in the government, has been so pervasive that it has eroded even the hope of the people for a better leadership.

Lozada, who elicited laughter and applause from churchgoers who filled the 2,000-seater San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City in a mass led by Bishop Vicente Navarra, lamented that the hope of many Filipinos has been worn out by perceptions of corruption.

“Bakit pa kami kikilos eh pare-pareho lang naman silang magnanakaw? (Why should we care if all of them are thieves anyway)’” Lozada said, citing the comments of students he had met in his visits to different schools in the country after testifying on  the alleged anomalies in the broadband contract.

Navarra, in his 15-minute homily, meanwhile, said, the Church’s believers must look into themselves and search for things that are “NBN-like” there.

Lozada, who came to Bacolod for a series of talks, was greeted with hugs, kisses, and gifts of rosaries from priests, nuns, and churchgoers as he shared the lessons he has learned in the course of his ongoing kalbaryo (trial).

He spoke before a crowd of 800 at the University of St. La Salle and of about 700 at the La Consolacion College in Bacolod City yesterday afternoon, too.

Before his visit in Bacolod, Lozada also spoke to students in Iloilo City, telling them about the scores of cases his detractors have filed and are planning to lodge against him and his family.

“Aso na lang po namin ang walang kaso. (Only our dog is not facing any case),” Lozada said.

He said he expects more charges to be filed against him by the administration for his role in testifying on the alleged bribery and other irregularities in the scrapped ZTE-NBN deal.

The party-list group Babae Para sa Kaunlaran (Babae Ka) has filed illegal procurement and nepotism charges against Lozada, former president of the state-run Philippine Forest Corp. (PhilForest) before the Ombudsman.

Police have filed perjury charges against his wife Violet in relation to petitions of writs of habeas corpus and amparo filed by Lozada’s family before the Supreme Court.

Lozada said they have received reports that his detractors will accuse him of amassing hidden wealth.

He said that if his accusers can prove that he has hidden wealth, he will donate this to the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, a religious group that has given him sanctuary and support after he came out to testify in the Senate investigation.

“Pinapatay nila ang pangalan ko (They are destroying my name),” said Lozada in his speech.

But Lozada said he is ready to face whatever charges and accusations that will be hurled against him.

Lozada’s lawyer Neri Colmenares said they are preparing for the legal charges that have been filed and those that they expect to be filed against his client.

“He is prepared. But he is saddened that his family is also being dragged in the controversy,” Colmenares told reporters.

Lozada said they are also concerned with more “harassments” and threats against him.

“The threats are becoming more and more real,” he said in a press conference following a forum at the De Paul College in Iloilo City.

Asked if security threats made him junk an earlier plan to join a march rally before the forum, Lozada said he was just tired after taking a 5 a.m. flight from Manila to Iloilo.

“Low bat lang po ako (I was just tired),” he said, explaining that he has been getting little sleep because of his busy schedule.

Despite the cases and threats, Lozada said he has been strengthened by the warm welcome given by the people.

“(I have received) rewards that are priceless…to be shown affection by a stranger and by people who shook my hand and thanked me,” he said.

“Kahit wala akong pera ngayon, mayaman po ako sa pagmamahal (Even if I am penniless, there are a lot of people who care for me),” he added.*NPB/PP

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