Catholic Bishops Colluded with Pidals (CBCP)
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has just come out with its new pastoral letter after a 10-hour emergency meeting, just weeks after calling for "communal action" - whatever that means. As usual, the bishops' decision was hailed by Malacañang as it did not succumb to mounting pressure to ask for Gloria's resignation.
It did come out however, with a six point apostolic manifesto:
Beloved People of God:
Greetings in the peace of the Lord!
Today in the midst of restlessness and confusion, we come to you as pastors, for that is our precise role. We do not come as politicians whose vocation it is to order society towards the common good. Our message contributes to the flourishing of a democracy which must not be built only on political formulae.
We face today a crisis of truth and the pervading cancer of corruption. We must seek the truth and we must restore integrity. These are moral values needing spiritual and moral insights.
Therefore, we address this pastoral statement to everyone particularly you our beloved people and in a special way to our political rulers and officials.
We are convinced that the search for truth in the midst of charges and allegations must be determined and relentless, and that the way to truth and integrity must be untrammeled, especially at the present time when questions about the moral ascendancy of the present government are being raised.
For this reason, we strongly:
1. Condemn the continuing culture of corruption from the top to the bottom of our social and political ladder;
2. Urge the President and all the branches of government to take the lead in combating corruption wherever it is found;
3. Recommend the abolition of EO 464 so that those who might have knowledge of any corruption in branches of government, may be free to testify before the appropriate investigating bodies;
4. Ask the President to allow her subordinates to reveal any corrupt acts, particularly about the ZTE-NBN deal, without being obstructed in their testimony no matter who is involved;
5. Appeal to our senators and the ombudsman to use their distinct and different powers of inquiry into alleged corruption cases not for their own interests but for the common good;
6. Call on media to be a positive resource of seeking the truth and combating corruption by objective reporting without bias and partiality, selective and tendentious reporting of facts;
For the long term we reiterate our call for “circles of discernment” at the grassroots level, in our parishes, Basic Ecclesial Communities, recognized lay organizations and movements, religious institutions, schools, seminaries and universities. It is through internal conversion into the maturity of Christ through communal and prayerful discernment and action that the roots of corruption are discovered and destroyed. We believe that such communal action will perpetuate at the grassroots level the spirit of People Power so brilliantly demonstrated to the world at EDSA I. It is People Power with a difference. From the grassroots will come out a culture of truth and integrity we so deeply seek and build. We instruct our CBCP Commissions to take active role including networking for this purpose.
May the Lord bless us in this sacred undertaking to build a new kind of Philippines and may our Blessed Mother be our companion and guide in this journey to truth and integrity.
For and on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:
+Angel Lagdameo, D.D.
Archbishop of Jaro
President, CBCP
February 26, 2008
During the several times in the past seven years when the CBCP virtually rescued Gloria from one scandal to another, I have kept true to my faith and continued to respect those who represented my religion.
But this act of the CBCP, whose members are supposed to be the highest of our spiritual shepherds, was the proverbial last straw. I cannot accept the CBCP statement that goads the flock into following a leader that is constantly pushing them to the end of the hill.
I strongly condemn this statement which asks the Resident Evil to even lead the moral crusade in fighting corruption when this Bitch is the one that is most corrupt.
I vomit at the sheer hypocrisy of the Bishops' condemnation of corruption when they have not even lifted a finger against their own who have placed my religion in a despicable and scandalous position by accepting bribes themselves thus abetting further corruption.
I deplore the Bishops' indifference toward the deafening vox populi who for seven years have blindly obeyed their pastorals and restrained their indignation despite the continuing impunity of the agents of Satan, people now want a change to moral leaders but look who's stopping them.
I reject the devise by which the Bishops want us to arrive at the truth - more open investigations, less media, less fanfare, more evidence, more witnesses - when the truth has been staring them in the eye all along. The Bishops seemed to have been convinced that the "legal" truth is the "real" truth.
The real problem of Philippine society has now turned from political to moral. The religious, for many of the rural folks, are the only educated people they happen to interact with that every word they say is gospel truth, no pun there, and when they look up to them not only for spiritual guidance but for other aspects of their existence, I can't imagine what values such religious workers could possibly inculcate when guided by the CBCP's stupidity.
In view of these, and after searching deep inside my soul, I will now commit to break loose from the chain of command of the Roman Catholic Church, and take all matters regarding my faith on a personal level and directly with my Creator.
I will not receive the sacraments administered by priests whose leaders have effectively conspired and colluded with, abetted and propagated, the works of evil.
I will not attend mass nor will I receive penance and communion until such time that the bishops acknowledge this mistake and make amends to correct it.
Finally, I call on all Catholics to join me in this undertaking. We want change don't we, and whether with or without the bishops, we owe it to our country and our children who deserve a just and free society, that we destroy the manacles of despotism and tyranny, terminate the deadly diseases of cheating and lying, and eradicate the unmoderated greed of the ruling kleptocrats armed only with genuine patriotism and shielded by unblemished truth.
It is time for the pResident Evil, Gloria Dorovobitch, to cut and cut clean.
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Labels: CBCP, Cover-ups, Gloria, Gloria Resign, NBN/ZTE Broadband Scam, Pastoral Letter, Senate
Lozada: Neri says, "She is Evil"
UPDATE 1 (2/21/08)
I found this in You Tube: Monster Sighted In the Philippines
ORIGINAL POST:
In today's Senate hearing, Lozada says "Neri called the president 'Evil'".
Watch the DVD version of the reality series shot entirely in the Philippines. (Click on the photo to see the DVD cover art.)
Note: Not to be confused with "Resident Evil" starring Milla Jovovich
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Labels: Gloria, Jun Lozada, NBN/ZTE Broadband Scam, Romulo Neri, Senate
Lozada and Neri: Tears for Fears
The latest entry in Pinoy Press' blog is the second installment in Lozada's testimony, the first part which took all of 8 hours Friday and had everyone glued to their radios and TVs. It was a phenomenal blockbuster. This revelation by Black and White Movement's Enteng Romano is as explosive as Glorietta and the Batasan blasts put together.
What’s good that would come out of Enteng’s decision to preeempt whatever "accident" that may happen in the Senate in today's hearings, by publishing this writeup by Senate witness Jun Lozada, and it’s now out in the open, there is now the opportunity to read these statements into the records of the Senate:
1. Arroyo casually told him (Neri) to ignore it (Abalos’ bribery attempt) and work for its recommendation for approval anyway.
2. When he (Neri) tried to reason that it may not be accommodated in the Chinese ODA package because it has been filled up with a list of projects already, (Gloria) Arroyo again ordered him to remove the low cost housing project and some water project to accommodate the ZTE-NBN deal in the ODA loan.
3. When he (Neri) attempted to reason that it may not be approved in time for the Boao Forum which was only two days to go from that fateful April day, (Gloria) Arroyo with raised voice told him to include the ZTE-NBN project in the agenda of the following day’s meeting of a combined NEDA Board and Cabinet Committee, who as expected promptly approved the project paving the way for the contract signing between ZTE and DOTC in China the next day.
Logically, the immediate question that would be asked of Lozada is, “Do you confirm what Enteng Romano said that it was you who wrote this?” And as Lozada answers in the positive, official Senate records would reflect another wrongdoing attributed to the administration, with Gloria explicitly named as the perpetrator.
And let us not be fooled that the truth is hinged on Lozada’s testimony alone. It was exposed first by JDV3 in the past hearings, suggested by Jarius Bondoc in many past columns, hinted at by Neri himself, and soon, a few more witnesses who have been part of the botched NBN deal. I also have this feeling it had been intimated already by Neri himself in that eventful executive session since the palace hacks in the Senate are threatening anyone who divulges the same with removal from the chamber.
These three things are very damaging in itself, let alone the accompanying death threats and “soft-touch” kidnapping that had been committed in the cover-up of the huge commissions that would have been pocketed by a few brokers, cronies, and spouse.
The inevitable end has come for the large scale plunder of the nation’s wealth never before seen in this damned country’s history, the brazeness of how it was carried out, the accompanying arrogance by which truth was muzzled, the wholesale destruction of all institutions that embody true democratic values, and the unbelievable criminal ends by which we, the people, are made to suffer to break our collective spirit so that this marauding syndicate calling itself government can further strengthen its grip on a country successfully terrorized by its own leaders.
All laws whether universal, human, and divine, have been violated. Sure, they can twist the man-made rules to fit their diabolic interests. But not those that were established by the physical universe, moreso those by the Omnipotent Being who created everything.
God bless the Philippines.
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Labels: Cover-ups, Jun Lozada, Malacañang, NBN/ZTE Broadband Scam, Romulo Neri
JDV had just been Obama'd
Last night the calls for "Change!" reverberated throughout the walls of Bastusang Pambansa. I thought the bribes were not enough they were even asking for coins. But no, it was the vote for declaring loss-of-confidence over the five-time Speaker, Jose De Venecia, Jr. Just like many times before, the thieves-in-the-night worked while the people were sleeping. This time, they stole his chair. JDV had just been Obama'd.
The conspirators probably never thought it would lead to this. JDV was never expected to bitch against their queen! Did they miscalculate the situation? As it now stands, JDV has manifested to tell more in the coming days. That's one big headache.
JDV is not known for being a warrior. He is more of a peacemaker, usually going all out to build consensus, striking compromises favorable to all sides. A backdoor negotiator. And last night it was his backdoor that got screwed. Big time.
But take a final stand against Gloria? I don’t think so.
Whatever aces he has up his sleeves will be played by the next guy he passes it to. And the Arroyos are determined to punish him some more. And by hitting JDV, it would be impossible not to hurt the puppet-master on whose lap this dummy sits on. FVR will be a an unavoidable corollary target once the Pig of a family begins the all-out offensive.
But FVR and his boys are all prepared. Even he saw it coming ever since the ZTE investigations took center stage it would be foolish to assume they will all just take it sitting down. Carague has been in COA for the longest time, I guess, clearing all tracks FVR and company may have left behind in such deals as Fort Bonifacio sale, Napocor-IPP contracts, Centennial Expo, PEA-Amari, the numerous privatization deals, among many. While doing so, he may have also digged enough dirt to bury the Arroyos alive.
And there’s Edong Ermita who’s finally getting shorted by Puno very very soon, Ermita holds as much “state secrets” in his Malacañang closet than any one’s ever seen. You then have all these AFP generals who are indebted to Tabako and his subalterns. And many many other FVR boys still well-entrenched and for so long may have gathered enough artillery in their arsenal to see this war through.
FVR’s legacy, and the strings that hold all his puppets together - the Lakas party - will be dangerously threatened by Kampi’s freshly-sharpened scissors he can’t risk being jettisoned to oblivion. I don’t see any political future for the likes of Lakas stalwarts Bunye, Apostol, Alvarez, etc. unless, of course, they start shedding their chameleon scales and begin their exodus toward the new forest and join the other beasts where the foliage is greener (or haven’t they, already?). Kampi will be the new Billionaire Boys’ Club.
Though I’m not convinced Lakas as a whole, or whatever remains of it, will confront the palace by the murky river head-on the way JDV did last night based on those may-I-explain-my-vote speeches, JDV die-hards are on a war path, their lips still bitter from the taste of the latest conspiracy. They have nothing more to lose - they have sacrificed their committee positions and the perks that go with those by professing “principled” loyalty for JDV - but they can choose to settle the score by making life difficult for the traitors and their principals. This will make the coming days very very exciting.
JDV may not be the most credible in his gang, but if you have more acceptable people confirming and substantiating his charges, maybe, just maybe, the moral revolution may indeed take off.
Ex-Speaker JDV has removed his finger plugging the small hole in the dike. Will the dam come crumbling down?
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Labels: Gloria, House of Representatives, House Speakership, Jose De Venecia, Jr.
