BY ASHZEL HACHERO

THE Makati Business Club yesterday called for the resignation of Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and acting Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri, saying they have lost their "moral authority" to stay in their posts because of their involvement in Malacañang’s attempt to prevent Rodolfo Noel "Jun" Lozada from appearing before the Senate inquiry into the national broadband network scandal.

The MBC also expressed support for planned mass actions calling for President Arroyo’s ouster but stopped short of calling for her resignation. Such call is a major step that "the group is not prepared at this time to take," said Alberto Lim, MBC executive director.

The United Opposition and militant groups on Monday announced plans for a series of mass actions calling for Arroyo to resign.

Malacañang dismissed the resignation calls and the planned protest actions.

Lim said MBC members are free to join the planned rallies "and we would encourage them but we would not pressure them to join."

In the event Arroyo resigns, Lim said, the MBC would welcome Vice President Noli de Castro as the constitutional successor.

"We will even help him, with advice to become a good president," he said.

Lim said his group is asking Atienza and Neri to resign "to save themselves from further shame."

Lozada is the star witness in the Senate probe on the $329 million NBN-ZTE deal that was eventually cancelled amid allegations of payoffs and other anomalies.

"Their (Atienza’s and Neri’s) protection at any cost of the interests of those in power render them unworthy of the people’s trust," Lim told a press conference.

He said Atienza, who appeared at the Senate inquiry Monday, was "obviously lying" when he said Lozada was sent abroad to attend a conference when the real reason was to evade the Senate probe.

He said Neri was a "big disappointment." Neri also did not show up at the inquiry last Monday.

"We thought he was sincere in revealing the truth but it turns out he was helping Lozada hide the truth," Lim said.

Neri was said to be among those who wanted Lozada to get out of the country to evade the Senate investigation.

FULL SUPPORT

Lim said the MBC is fully supporting Lozada. He said several of their members are prepared to shoulder the cost of his legal battles especially if resigned elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, who allegedly asked for a commission in the NBN deal, makes good on his threat to sue Lozada for libel.

"We salute Mr. Lozada for overcoming his personal fear of the consequences of revealing what he knows about the scandal-ridden NBN project. Mr. Lozada chose to walk away from the `dark side’ — the lies and cover-up regarding the NBN project being peddled by persons connected to this administration," MBC said in a statement.

"Now that he is being unjustly maligned by government officials and by some senators identified with the administration in their continuing effort to suppress the truth, we express our support for Mr. Lozada and let him know `hindi ka nag-iisa," it added.

"Hindi ka nag-iisa" was the rallying cry of the opposition against the Marcos dictatorship that ended with the 1986 "people power" uprising.

CONTINUE SENATE PROBE

Lim said the Senate should continue its probe as the country’s long-term political stability and economic prosperity lies in having leaders with integrity and institutions that protect and uphold public trust.

"We must see to it that those who are revealed to have broken the law, no matter how high, must be made to account for their transgression," he said.

He said the controversy is affecting political and economic stability.

"I think there is nervousness because of political instability. But if the price of good governance is a little of political instability we are ready to pay the price," said Lim adding the country, in the long run, could not afford to stand on a shaky political foundation.

Detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV praised Lozada for his courage and patriotism for his exposé "of yet another series of condemnable acts by the GMA administration."

"We only hope that his damning revelations would be enough to finally convince the Filipino people to stand up and assert their sovereign power to choose a government that would truly protect their rights and fight for their interests. As somebody once said, ‘The limits of a tyrant are defined by the patience of those whom he (she) oppresses,’" he said in a statement also signed by and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

Trillanes is detained for leading the Oakwood mutiny in 2005 when he was a Navy lieutenant. Lim, former Scout Ranger commander, is detained for a supposed power grab attempt in February 2006. Trillanes and Lim also figured in the Manila Peninsula standoff last November.

STAND UP, WAKE UP

The MBC called on Filipinos to relive the spirit of Edsa 1 that toppled the Marcos dictatorship by making known their stand in the "pursuit of accountability and truth."

He said the controversy is not a question of guilt but rather a matter of "good old-fashioned delicadeza" and personal morality.

"What is being compromised is the moral fiber of the society. We therefore call on all Filipinos to proclaim `Tama na ang kasinungalingan, sobra na ang kasakiman, manindigan na, bayan," the statement said.

Lim said the MBC is calling on the people to "stand up, wake up and get angry about this lying."

"We believe there has been a cover-up but we need to take a calibrated response," he said.

He said as business people, the members of the MBC could not find consolation in the strength of the peso or the promise of equitable growth. "These are ephemeral gains that have not translated into a better life for most Filipinos," he said.

BLACK ARMBANDS

To relive the spirit of Edsa, Lim called for the tying of black ribbons or armbands to signify the "death of decency and the rule of law in the country."

He said civil disobedience, one of the significant weapons of the opposition during the Marcos time, is being considered by the MBC, together with the setting up of a "Hall of Shame" of personalities involved in government scandals.

"We want to produce a Hall of Shame to remind the people that there are many people involved in scandals like former Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia and Abalos," said Lim.

But he said MBC will not support a military takeover.

"If the military withdraws their support (from Arroyo), it’s up to them but we draw the line at military rule or intervention," Lim said.

MILITARY ADVENTURISM

Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa, commander of the military’s National Capital Region Command, said he does not see military adventurism happening because of the NBN-ZTE controversy but warned demonstrators against sowing violence during the planned rallies, the first of which will be held Friday in Makati City.

"So far, there is no threat because as I said, our chain of command is very strong and we have grievance mechanisms that are in place. So if a soldier has a complaint, we have venue for that. We have nothing to worry about," he said.

He told soldiers to stay apolitical and always follow the chain of command.

On the Friday rally, Mesa said: "For as long as they are within the bounds of the law, then we have nothing to be worried about. What is not good is if the rallyists would resort to violence."

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said there is no need for a loyalty check in the military because the soldiers have always been professional and loyal to the chain of command.

He belied talks of another extension for AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., whose term has already been extended by three months or up to May, because of destabilization talks.

ALERT LEVEL NORMAL

The PNP said there is no need to raise the alert level for the Friday rally.

Director Silverio Alarcio, chief of the directorate for operations, said regional police chiefs have the discretion of raising the alert as the need arises.

Director Geary Barias, Metro Manila police chief, said Task Force Manila Shield, a special unit of the National Capital Region Police Office which is tasked to maintain order and guard vital installations during big protest actions will be activated if needed.

Policemen in fatigues and armed with rifles were visible in places where people congregate.

There was no announcement made of the deployment.