Only The Truth, Not Lies said CBCP Head On the Issue Of Jun Lozada

Archbishop of Jaro, Angel Lagdameo, on Sunday said that the "public confessions" made in the past few days by ousted House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and resigned environment official Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr. may yet serve the country that "has too long been captive to the corruption of people in governance.""Their public confession[s] 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 Lagdameo in a statement posted in the Web site of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).Lagdameo, CBCP president, said that the disclosures of de Venecia and Lozada were both "courageous but damaging" to the two."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. Damaging also because they opened themselves to further scrutiny and inquiry," said Lagdameo.Lagdameo reiterated an earlier statement by Catholic bishops which he said "strongly lamented the absence of social conscience today" which he said was "the root cause of our systemic graft and corruption."Lagdameo in his statement however believed that disclosing the "truth" would be most beneficial to the Filipino people."Truth hurts. Truth liberates. But the truth must be served. The truth will set our country free," said Lagdameo. "We have to confess that corruption is in truth our greatest shame as a people."Lagdameo endorsed an initiative "Crusade for Truth" of the Association of the Major Religious Superiors of the Philippine (AMRSP), civil groups and clergy. He also endorsed the "Watch and Pray" activity of the Parish Pastoral Councils for Responsible Voting (PPC-RV)."Only the truth, not lies and deceits, will set our country free. This truth challenges us now to communal action," said Lagdameo.Catholic bishops Friday rallied behind the administration of La Salle Greenhills which gave sanctuary to Lozada."The law of providing sanctuary for people in danger of death though without guilt is a long, sacred practice of the Church the world over," Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, former CBCP president, said."It was Lozada himself who asked to be taken to La Salle. And we could just imagine if La Salle refused to give sanctuary or place of safety," the prelate stressed.Cruz recalled how the Church provided sanctuary to T/Sgt. Vidal Doble, the holder of the original alleged taped conversation between President Arroyo and former Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano who sought refuge in San Carlos seminary in Makati City.Two other bishops aired their support for LSGH. "When it comes to issues involving the truth, the Church will do everything. And we hope this will continue," Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said.Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also said there was nothing wrong with the support shown by the clergy to Lozada.Pabillo, who heads CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action, Peace and Justice, stressed: "This issue is about the truth and we in the Church will do all we can to help people who hold the truth and seek our protection and guidance. That is our role."Escorted by Pabillo and several nuns, Lozada faced the media at 2 a.m. Thursday at a hastily-called press conference in La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City.Lozada, the latest Senate witness in the investigation on the alleged NBN briberies and overprice, has linked First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, former elections chief Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri to the scandal, which rekindled calls for the resignation of President Arroyo.Lozada , when he surfaced in a press conference Thursday considered himself resigned form his post as president of Philippine Forest Corporation and has since sought refuge in the Senate after having been provided sanctuary by brothers of La Salle Greenhills.De Venecia, just before the House of Representatives started to vote for his ouster, revealed in an emotional speech anomalies in the Arroyo administration allegedly masterminded by President Arroyo's biological and official family. His ouster was widely believed to be connected to the testimony of his son Joey in a Senate hearing which directly linked Mr. Arroyo to the NBN controversy.