THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) yesterday hailed Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. for
his decision to testify in the Senate’s investigation on the
$329 million national broadband network (NBN) project despite
tremendous pressure and death threats.
"The 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," said the statement signed by CBCP president
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo.
"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. Truth hurts.
Truth liberates. But the truth must be served. The truth will
set our country free," it said.
The CBCP lamented the continuing corruption,
saying it remains to be the greatest shame of Filipinos.
It called on the public as well as civil
society groups to continue efforts to jump-start a moral
revolution.
Last Friday, Lozada testified before the
Senate probe on the scandal-ridden project between the
Department of Transportation and Communication and Chinese firm
ZTE Corp.
Lozada, who considers himself resigned as
president of the state-owned Philippine Forest Corp. said former
elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and First Gentleman Mike
Arroyo were behind the anomalous deal that was scrapped by
President Arroyo after allegations of corruption.
Lozada also named Environment Secretary Lito
Atienza and acting Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri as
among those who have the knowledge of his "abduction" upon his
arrival from Hong Kong in a bid to prevent him from testifying
in the inquiry.
A group of health professionals hailed Lozada
Jr. as a hero for spilling the beans on the multi-million dollar
kickback on the NBN deal.
The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) also
called on President Arroyo to resign due to what it said was
rampant corruption in her administration.
The HEAD has called on other professionals to
come out and make a stand against the unbridled malfeasance in
the government.
"Matapang sya. He is a hero and we support
him," said Dr. Darby Santiago, HEAD vice chairman and
spokesperson.
"How greedy some people can get. Sobrang
kasakiman. We want the good people in the bureaucracy to come
out and stand against corruption," Santiago said.
"The $197 million overprice in the $329
NBN-ZTE deal is already enough to cover the medical operation of
15,000 kidney transplant patients at P600,000 each and 49,000
open-heart surgeries costing at least P200,000 each," Santiago
said.
"The cabal of Arroyo henchmen and cronies is running this
country like a mafia, concocting white elephants at will if only
to get hefty kickbacks. Their system of corruption has been
institutionalized by Mrs. Arroyo herself, callously enriching
herself while allowing public funds for social services to
dwindle," they added. – Gerard Naval and Job Realubit