'Hindi ka nag-iisa'
"I JUST did it to save my soul and thank you all very much for letting me know that I have touched the nation's soul as well." Speaking before a crowd of hundreds, whistleblower Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr. gave this message after the Truth and Accountability Mass held on February 18 at the Church of the Gesu. In what ABS-CBN’s Bandila newscast likened to a rock-star entrance, Lozada was welcomed to the Gesu with loud cheers and a standing ovation. The Ateneo and other groups organized the Mass to show support for Lozada, and to call for truth and accountability. Aside from the Mass, Ateneo groups from various units also held noise barrages, candle-lighting ceremonies, and issued statements, urging for truth in light of corruption accusations in the ZTE deal. State witness Lozada has implicated First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. on the alleged overpricing of the $329-million National Broadband Network deal between the government and China’s ZTE Corporation. Former president Corazon Aquino, former Akbayan representative Etta Rosales, Las Pińas Representative Cynthia Villar, and Gina de Venecia attended the Mass. Brothers and nuns from De La Salle Greenhills (LSGH) and the Sumilao farmers were also present.
“Hindi ka nag-iisa”A similar Mass was held on February 17 at LSGH, which was also attended by Ateneo groups. Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, celebrated the Mass. In his homily, Francisco said that he believes Lozada is a credible witness. When he asked the crowd to clap if they also believed Lozada, there was continuous clapping. “Jun, hindi ka nag-iisa (You are not alone). We are committed to stay the course and to do our best to protect you and your family, and the truth you have proclaimed,” said Francisco. Lozada and his family are now seeking refuge in LSGH after Lozada claimed to have been abducted by the military on February 5. Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) read its statement on the ZTE deal after the Mass. “We reiterate what we have demanded of the current government of the Republic of the Philippines: truth, accountability, and reform,” the statement said. For truth, the SLB urged the administration to lift Executive Order 464, which bans Cabinet members from appearing at the hearings without President Arroyo’s consent. They also called on Commission on Higher Education Chairman Romulo Neri and other witnesses to “disclose to the general public all the relevant and truthful information about the NBN-ZTE deal.”
“Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas”To show support for Lozada’s testimonies, students, faculty, and members of various organizations in the Ateneo gathered near Gate 2.5 on February 14 for a gathering called “Iniibig Ko Ang Pilipinas.” The gathering was a venue to discuss issues and the next steps of action on the ZTE deal. After the gathering, participants lit candles and staged a noise barrage outside Gate 2.5. Political Science Associate Professor Benjamin Tolosa, Ph.D., was one of the key speakers in the gathering. Tolosa is the convenor of the Watch, Pray and Act Movement, a coalition of religious organizations supporting Lozada. “Bakit siya [Lozada] natatakot magsalita (Why is he afraid to speak)?” Tolosa asked the audience. “Bakit may ugnayan ang Comelec Chair sa ZTE project (Why is the Comelec Chair involved)?” Atty. Chochoy Medina, director of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, and Atty. Mel Santa Maria also narrated in the gathering how they wrote and filed Lozada’s writ of habeas corpus and writ of amparo. Students who attended the gathering explained why they were there. “Andito kami para ipakita sa mamamayan na hindi kami mga pasibong indibidwal (We are here to show citizens that we are not passive individuals),” said Bernadette Eugenio (II AB Pos). Rayna Reyes (III BFA TA) also said, “We should have more of this because Ateneans are cloistered in their own world. Kailangan nating mamulat at kumilos (We need to open our eyes and act).” Another noise barrage was held on February 22 to show support for Lozada.
Statements for truthVarious groups in the Loyola Schools also released statements regarding the ZTE controversy. The Assembly, a socio-political student organization in the Ateneo, called for the resignation of Arroyo in its statement. “We are outraged by the government’s blatant violation of … Lozada’s human rights and by the deliberate obstruction of justice to conceal the truth behind his disappearance and the ZTE controversy,” the statement said. Open letters supporting Lozada are also posted along a bulletin board along the Kostka – Rizal Library walkway. The Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral also released a statement on February 18. “We call on the Ateneo community: students, faculty, staff, and alumni, to keep vigilant in our search and demand for the truth regarding the abduction of Lozada and corruption in the government,” the statement said. The Political Science Department’s statement, meanwhile, echoed the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, the Watch, Pray and Act Movement and SLB’s call for truth, accountability, and reform. The Department also “commend[s] all whistleblowers for their courage and for showing us that no matter how much we are part or have been part of corruption and injustice—in little or large ways—we can still redeem ourselves and bring hope back in our democratic institutions.”