PROTEST GREETS LOZADA IN VISIT TO SAN
FERNANDO, PAMPANGA
[PHOTO
AT LEFT - Protesters carrying anti-Lozada posters converge in front of the St.
Scholastica’s Academy in San Fernando, Pampanga where the Senate star witness
attended a ‘truth forum’ yesterday. Photo By DING CERVANTES]
SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA, APRIL 21, 2008 (STAR) By Ding Cervantes -A bomb threat, a life-sized effigy labelled “immoral,” some 100 folk carrying posters lambasting him, and a two-page newspaper named Pipol’s Bucol Express greeted NBN-ZTE scandal whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada during his visit to this province – considered a “GMA country” – to talk in a “truth forum” yesterday.
Nuns were taken by surprise when the protesters showed up at about noon in front of the St. Scholastica’s Academy (SSA) here, their leaders, carrying loudspeakers, hurling accusations against Lozada, mostly on the issue of morality.
San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David said the protesters initially blocked his car from entering the school’s gate, but he sought police help and was able to enter.
An official of the governor’s office said Gov. Ed Panlilio received before noon yesterday a text message from someone who identified himself as Sheik Omar Lavilla and a supposed member of the Rajah Sulaiman Movement, claiming that a bomb would explode at the SSA within three hours.
The forum organizers simply ignored the threat. Lozada was able to get into the SSA campus through the back gate without the knowledge of the protesters who eventually dispersed, as a Mass and the forum were held at the school’s gymnasium.
“I called up Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and he told me the rallyists had no permit,” said Sister Celine Saplala, superior directress of SSA.
But for Lozada who arrived with his usual retinue of nuns, the presence of the protesters was yet another proof that he was on the side of truth.
“I ask Kapampangans to think deeply. If I am not telling the truth, why are they exerting every means to prevent people from hearing what I want to say?” he told The STAR before the Mass started at 2:30 p.m.
Some 300 people attended the Mass. Panlilio was not around when it started, but later showed up during the forum.
For his part, Bishop David said the Catholic Church hierarchy in Pampanga supports Lozada’s truth crusade.
While some Kapampangans continue to support their cabalen President Arroyo, David said there are others who want to know the truth on the national broadband network deal with ZTE Corp. of China.
Lozada said he would continue his crusade for truth nationwide despite the personal attacks by certain quarters against him.
He admitted entertaining the thought of allowing his family members to live abroad for their safety, adding though that this would be their last option.
The protesters, who all refused to be interviewed at length, also hanged streamers at the overpass in front of the SSA and on trees, declaring that Lozada was not wanted in Pampanga.
A nun from the school cited information that a congressman gathered the protesters from the Bulaon resettlement area for Mt. Pinatubo victims here.
One of the marchers who carried a poster saying Lozada was a “polygamous playboy,” said he was from Lubao, the hometown of Mrs. Arroyo.
Based on the posters they were carrying, the other protesters were from Arayat and Magalang towns.
In the group was Sticky Blanco, secretary-general of the Pampanga Mayors’ League, which has repeatedly pledged their support for the President.
The protesters also had thousands of copies of the Pipol’s Bucol Express whose headline was “Pari, ‘nasunog’ dahil sa corruption ni Rodolfo ‘Jun’ Lozada.”
The banner story claimed that a priest from a Manila university was kicked out from his position allegedly because of Lozada’s multimillion-peso anomalies.
The paper’s editorial was titled “Hindi pulitiko ang mga pari at madre (Priests and nuns are non-politicians),” which shared front page treatment with a story on the alleged P15-million anomaly at the Philippine Forest Corp., which Lozada used to head.
Lozada’s visit was supposed to precede the President’s arrival here today to lead the soft opening of a 43.27-kilometer segment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. – With Ric Sapnu