BY GERARD NAVAL

SAYING he was not aspiring to gain the public admiration being accorded to him now after he decided to "face the light," national broadband network (NBN) project star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada yesterday encouraged every Filipino to keep the spirit of Edsa People Power 1 alive by combating evil and beginning it in their own hearts.

In a speech during the Mass for Truth held in St. Vincent de Paul Church in Manila, Lozada said he has so become accustomed to harassment and threats that he has already decided to pursue his crusade for truth not only for himself but for his country.

"Nung nag-decide ako na, ika nga e, to face the light, hindi ko ginawa yun para makakuha ng simpatiya at paghanga ng tao. Ginawa ko lang ito para mailigtas ang kaluluwa ko. Ngayon ay sanay na ako sa mga threats at paninira nila… kayo naman ang makaka-pagsabi ng halaga ng pinaggagagawa ko," Lozada told the cheering audience.

"We must be able to reject evil in our hearts. If we do, then we can start rejecting evil in our minds… then we can reject evil in our speeches… then in our action. So ang masasabi ko, sa nakikita ko, ang Edsa ngayon ay hindi na lamang nasa isang lugar kundi nasa puso na ng bawat isa," he added.

The event, organized by the Watch and Pray Movement composed of religious groups and former President Corazon Aquino, was attended by hundreds of Adamson University students wearing green armbands and pins calling for the repudiation of President Arroyo.

Also present were Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim; Gina de Venecia, wife of former Speaker Jose de Venecia; and officials of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, Collegiate Educational Association of the Philippines, Samahang Lingkod Bayan and the Manila Archdiocese Parochial School Association.

In his homily, co-celebrant Fr. Daniel Pilario compared the acts of Lozada and Arroyo with regards to addressing the truth in relation to the Gospel which featured a Samaritan woman and her conversation with Jesus Christ that led to her courageous admission of her own faults in life.

"Mr. Lozada is not a saint just like the Samaritan woman. May mga tinatago siya sa buhay na ayaw din niyang maging pulutan ng mundo ang buhay niya," Pilario said with obvious reference to Lozada’s initial reluctance to testify at the Senate probe on the NBN deal.

Pilario lamented that while Arroyo also had her own conversation with Jesus like Lozada, it is saddening that she chose to repeatedly turn away from the truth via the issuance of questionable orders such as the calibrated pre-emptive response and the executive order 464.

"If God speaks through his people, GMA has not answered His question for truth as she repeatedly ran away from Him while growing number and callous everytime," he said while narrating the issues being thrown at Arroyo such as the "Hello Garci" scandal, the fertilizer scam, the extra-judicial killings and the NBN fiasco.

In his message to Arroyo, Pilario said if the Chief Executive continues to fail in answering God’s and, in turn, the people’s call for the truth, she may be left with no other choice but to leave her post.

"I know you have a heart. I know it still has space for one more unsolicited advice. God’s voice cannot be drowned forever. You just can’t walk out of it everytime. If you keep on turning your back on it, it may transform to writings on the walls of Malacañang and that may be too late Madame President. The people thirst for truth and if you can’t be truthful and accountable then you must go because you may not be worthy of the name (title)," he said.