It was courageous but damaging for two officials of government, former Speaker Jose de Venecia and Mr. Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, to expose questionable government deals in millions of dollars including scandalous and immoral kickbacks. It was courageous to come out in the open to “publicly confess” the high level of graft and corruption that they knew all along and “somehow” have been involved in. But it was also damaging to their political career as well as to significant others who are in high governance. Damaging also because they opened themselves to further scrutiny and inquiry. Truth hurts. Truth liberates. But the truth must be served. The truth will set our country free (cf. John 8/32)
Their public confession may be considered a providential event that may yet save our country from being hostage to scandalous and shady government deals that offend the common good and serve only personal, family and group interests. In our last CBCP Statement, the Bishops strongly lamented the absence of social conscience today. This is the root cause of our systemic graft and corruption.
We lament in this season of Lent not only that we are sinners but also that our country has too long been captive to the corruption of people in governance. “We have to confess that corruption is in truth our greatest shame as a people.” The call for a moral revolution has deep implication. The CRUSADE FOR TRUTH being initiated by the Religious like the AMRSP, Civil Groups and Clergy is encouraging, and must be supported by all truth-loving and freedom-loving citizens. Only the truth, not lies and deceits, will set our country free. This truth challenges us now to communal action.
We encourage the “Watch and Pray” activity that will be initiated by the Parish Pastoral Councils for Responsible Voting (PPC-RV). We can also call it PPC for Responsible Citizenship. The flame of “social consciousness and common good” must be kept alive. We suggest the prayer used by the Magnificat Movement, the MAGNIFICAT of Our Lady in Luke 1, 46-55 a prayer for social transformation.
As we said in our last CBCP Statement “let us pray together, reason together, decide together, act together” “towards a more vigorous work for good governance and a more active promotion of responsible citizenship in our society in the light of the Gospel and the Social Teachings of the Church.”
+ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO
Archbishop of Jaro
CBCP President
February 10, 2008
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8 comments:
while we applaud the "courage" of jose de venecia and jun lozada, we should not be forget the "shady and scandalous" participation of these two government officials in the systemic graft and corruption of our country.
Jose de venecia's confession was no good news considering the reputation of the former speaker in using his political position and wealth to manipulate congress and perpetuate political patronage which in effect implies that all government projects are now tainted with greed, moderated or not. If indeed the former speaker is sincere about moral revolution, he should have not joined hands with a convicted plunderer.
Jun lozada's seemingly innocent look and crying may deceive us to believe his confession as gospel truth. He is a witty man and his dubious connection with senator lacson necessarily implies a political color in his confession. I even entertain the idea that lacson has been the grand story teller of this political drama, and lozada is a captive of his ploy.
I agree that we should have a "communal" reflection and action, but the church leaders (bishops, priests, nuns and brothers) whom I believe would like to know the truth of the issue must rather pursue a call for investigation in the proper courts than simply issuing a call to rally collective support to lozada in a highly politically charged senate investigation. Unless, the church leaders are now telling us that the judiciary is no longer a credible institution.
And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34
Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: 36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry and fed thee: thirsty and gave thee drink? 38 Or when did we see thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison and came to thee? 40 And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. 41
Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you covered me not: sick and in prison and you did not visit me.
44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee?
45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen: I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. 46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
the problem of perceived and actual corruption and their gravity. And the call for communal action in the streets as an irreversible path of change, like edsa 1 and 2.
lozada has been saying that he has his own sins to the Filipino people as a government CEO. This involves millions of pesos. But he argues that his sins are less scandalous than the NBN deal.
how grave in his sins? when his sins are viewed from his lived experience as a probinsyanong intsik, they are as scandalous as the perceived NBN corruption. The bishops should not be blind of this fact. If ever lozada is charged of graft and corruption as a government employee, let the court of law judge him.
If the NBN corruption is true, let the court of law prosecute and penalize the people involved in the scandalous deal. The bishops should not join the call for another "people power" but be vigilant in seeking the truth of the issue. If we failed to present to court solid and irrefutable evidences, let us not blame the judiciary but reconsider the credibility of our witness and his evidences.
Unless the bishops are no longer seeing the judiciary as a credible institution, then the last communal action would be joining an unholy alliance with groups and individuals with varried and doubtful political agenda.
If the executive and legislative lost credibility in the search for the truth, the judiciary will be our last legal remedy. If the CBCP joins the call for people power now, it is clear that it too has lost its trust and hope for the judiciary.
I think as of now, the judiciary is still an independent and refutable institution. If the CBCP believe otherwise, it should explain to the public why the judiciary is not the final arbiter of this scandalous deal. Only after prayer and reflection on the integrity of the judiciary that the bishops with a clear conscience must join the call for communal action in the streets.
Open Letter To Gloria Arroyo:After the JUN LOZADA expose
Dear Mrs.Gloria Arroyo:
Your great father once said “I have sat at the sumptuous tables of power, but I have not run away with the silverware.”
Gloria, you have also sat at the sumptuous tables of power BUT you ran away with the china!
This is the reason why we will not accept another "let's move on!" plea from you after Jun Lozada's expose on your husband's involvement in the mega scandal with China‘s ZTE Corporation.
We are very tired of your propagandists' cliches "that we should consider the case closed and focus on the issues that really matter to the people".
We have given you the benefit of the doubt many times, one scandal after another since 2001. We always said to ourselves “let’s give Gloria another chance”.We also felt a sense of responsibility AND guilt since we helped install you in power in 2001.
Not this time. Our cup is filled to the brim.Absolutely to the brim!(In Tagalog, "Umaapaw na!")
They always said that that Filipinos are very patient. We have started defining patience as “long ,long suffering under the Pidals ”.
BUT WE REFUSE TO BE YOUR VICTIMS FOREVER!
Gloria, the decent thing to do now is follow U.S. Senator Lugar's famous advice to Marcos in 1986 “to cut and cut clean”.
I am very sure that deep inside you are still a true patriot. Do the right thing. Resign.This is the best gift you can give our long suffering people .
History may view your legacy in a more positive light after your resignation. This is exactly what happened to Nixon years after his resignation.
As you said in your 2007 SONA,”We must wipe out this stain from our democratic record.”Wipe it out now!
God Bless You!
The Equalizer
VIEWPOINT
It is very sad though that the only truth that is being demanded now is that which could bring PGMA down. Sadly, that is the only truth that Jun Lozada and others are willing to divulge.
It can no longer considered courageous to come out and make exposes these days specially if it entails the security blanket afforded by the religious, by civil society and the prominent politicians who are waiting for the political windfall that might follow from such exposes.
Neither can it be considered selfless,specially if the motivation for coming out in the first place is to avenge the loss of potential profits in a messed up business deal. Or, if one is eyeing a financially rewarding position in the future administration.
It's time to grow up. The main reason why this country is poor is because the majority of us continue to believe our politicians' deceptions. For once, let's use more stringent standards in evaluating their claims and promises.
If we allow Jun Lozada the privilege of being taken seriously for all his fantastic tales without having to show any proof other than that he is 'maliit lang na tao', or 'ang galing ko naman kung kaya kong gawin lahat yun' or 'ang taong bayan na po ang bahalang humusga', it would be better if we would all just watch telenovelas.
I know Jun that nuns love to watch telenovelas, even the ones from Korea. Pero sorry, ako hindi.
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants[b] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.[c]"
39"Abraham is our father," they answered.
"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would[d] do the things Abraham did. 40As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41You are doing the things your own father does."
"We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."
The Children of the Devil
42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
People in government they are not listening to or reading the word of God. Because if they are reading it and listening to it there is no corruption in the government. God bless our nation.
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