BY GERARD NAVAL

CARDINAL Ricardo Vidal yesterday asked organizers and bishops who will be joining today's youth rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila to keep the event non-political.

Vidal, archbishop of Cebu, said he does not want the name of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines dragged into politics.

"If it is being encouraged by the CBCP, I hope it would not end in politics," he said.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias and Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani, are joining the gathering.

Cruz said Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP president, and Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas had sent word they were joining the rally but begged off at the last minute.

"Lagdameo is in the hospital right now and is suffering from severe pulmonary hypertension. He informed me this morning (Thursday). He was really committed to come. He is sending his regrets that cannot come but he said there will certainly be another occasion," Cruz said.

"Bishop Villegas told me last night (Wednesday) that 'my young people need me' because there will also be a rally in Bataan so I told him to just stay there," said Cruz, former CBCP president.

The rally will have two parts. The first will be prayers. The second part, which includes speeches and cultural presentation by the youth groups, is expected to have a political color as the participating student and youth groups have said they should involve themselves in issues of governance as citizens.

Militant, civil society, business, lawyers and laborers groups are also expected to participate.

Vidal lamented what happened in the February 29 inter-faith rally in Makati City, where politicians former President Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada were allowed to address the crowd although briefly.

"For me, if it's purely inter-faith rally and no politicians, that is good. But if it will be political, just like what happened in the last rally and politicians are there and given the chance to speak.what kind of inter-faith (rally) is that?. its inter-politics already," he said over the Church-run Radio Veritas.

Cruz said the theme of the youth-led rally "remains to be search for truth, justice and progress."

"It may not be as big as the one in Makati but it is definitely not the end game for Malacañang. This is just the manifestation of the young people who will inherit this land," he added.

Amie Dural, secretary general of the Promotion of Church and People's Response, said the youth groups participating in the rally simply want to show "they are standing up and speaking out against systemic corruption that robs their generation and future generations of decent future in terms of education, jobs and morally upright governance."

Dispelling talks that Malacañang had talked Lagdameo and Villegas into backing off, Cruz said: "They are not the type who will bow to pressure. They are also not the type who will engage in camouflage talk. When they say it they mean it."

He said it was Lagdameo who was earlier described to be the "surprise guest" at the rally.

Also attending the rally, Cruz said, is Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, a witness in the alleged overpriced national broadband project which is being investigated by the Senate.

Among the participating groups are Youth Revolt, Youth Act Now, Kabataan, and student councils of UP, De La Salle, University of the East and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

The four-hour event will begin at 3 p.m.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said he "respects the youth's rights" and is expecting a peaceful demonstration.

Director Geary Barias, chief of the Metro Manila police which is on heightened alert, said at least 3,000 policemen would be deployed at the Liwasang Bonifacio.