on yesterday's forum for discernment about the zte-nbn scandal
yesterday we attended a forum for discernment regarding the zte-nbn scandal at mhc shrine at paranaque with fr. archie intengan,sj as the speaker. it ended at about 10:30 late in the evening. i received a very striking remark from a priest after the forum, "were you able to find the truth?" i could only grin at this sarcasm.
obviously, fr. intengan is inclined to the administration's side. yet, it was not a waste of time to attend the forum. it all the more enhanced the validity of my reading of the events. i may not adhere to the convictions and motives of lozada, but i still believe in his testimony. it's inconceivable for me for him to have planned all these. i was also intrigued by the presentation of the wiretapped conversations between lozada and de venecia that were now available in the internet, the youtube and other blogsites. if indeed these were all true, how were these apprehended. the fact that these could be apprehended, it would be possible that anyone of us could be wiretapped. if we would be regarded as the "enemy," it's not surprising that our conversations be recorded and guarded. where is that right of privacy that is enshrined in our constitution?
for all we knew, we thought the speaker was only fr. intengan. we never thought that asec. ricky saludo would defensively present the side of the administration hrough this forum, initiating with a statement that goes something like, "90% of what fr. intengan had said is new to me as i have just heard now." come on, an outsider has more knowledge and insights rather than somebody from the inside? then this is proved further how, during the question and answer portion, he was so uptight in defending. he strongly asserted how this administration has been seriously fighting corruption. it was a good slap on the face in that argument when somebody asked something like, "if the adminsitration is serious about fighting corruption, then why they have saved erap from conviction." his response: (1) there are noble clamor, also on the part of the church, for erap to be set free, (2) he's beyond 70 years old. i could only laugh at this superficial and insufficient response.
i pity, those church workers who attended and who were easily swayed by their propaganda. they admitted that they first believed lozada and eventually shifted to discrediting him just because of the wiretapped conversations and the contrary version of the administration, while attacking the credibility of lozada.
i am not pro-lozada. i am pro-truth. and the truth is that corruption is rampant and prevalent in this administration, no matter how they would deny it. and the people know this. and the government would challenge us, why don't we file a case? they would always ask for evidences. where is the evidence? would somebody corrupting leave an evidence? would somebody asking for a "lagay" ask for an official receipt? and what if there are no evidence? then, they are clean!?!
i agree with fr. intengan at one point. we need a social reform. but the question is: where and how would this start? we would often clamor, "let's change the system. let's reform the society." i never thought that the system or the society has grown to be "beings" greatly paralyzing our lives. yet what makes up the system or the society are the people. the individuals. we. and let's take it more personally, "i."
obviously, fr. intengan is inclined to the administration's side. yet, it was not a waste of time to attend the forum. it all the more enhanced the validity of my reading of the events. i may not adhere to the convictions and motives of lozada, but i still believe in his testimony. it's inconceivable for me for him to have planned all these. i was also intrigued by the presentation of the wiretapped conversations between lozada and de venecia that were now available in the internet, the youtube and other blogsites. if indeed these were all true, how were these apprehended. the fact that these could be apprehended, it would be possible that anyone of us could be wiretapped. if we would be regarded as the "enemy," it's not surprising that our conversations be recorded and guarded. where is that right of privacy that is enshrined in our constitution?
for all we knew, we thought the speaker was only fr. intengan. we never thought that asec. ricky saludo would defensively present the side of the administration hrough this forum, initiating with a statement that goes something like, "90% of what fr. intengan had said is new to me as i have just heard now." come on, an outsider has more knowledge and insights rather than somebody from the inside? then this is proved further how, during the question and answer portion, he was so uptight in defending. he strongly asserted how this administration has been seriously fighting corruption. it was a good slap on the face in that argument when somebody asked something like, "if the adminsitration is serious about fighting corruption, then why they have saved erap from conviction." his response: (1) there are noble clamor, also on the part of the church, for erap to be set free, (2) he's beyond 70 years old. i could only laugh at this superficial and insufficient response.
i pity, those church workers who attended and who were easily swayed by their propaganda. they admitted that they first believed lozada and eventually shifted to discrediting him just because of the wiretapped conversations and the contrary version of the administration, while attacking the credibility of lozada.
i am not pro-lozada. i am pro-truth. and the truth is that corruption is rampant and prevalent in this administration, no matter how they would deny it. and the people know this. and the government would challenge us, why don't we file a case? they would always ask for evidences. where is the evidence? would somebody corrupting leave an evidence? would somebody asking for a "lagay" ask for an official receipt? and what if there are no evidence? then, they are clean!?!
i agree with fr. intengan at one point. we need a social reform. but the question is: where and how would this start? we would often clamor, "let's change the system. let's reform the society." i never thought that the system or the society has grown to be "beings" greatly paralyzing our lives. yet what makes up the system or the society are the people. the individuals. we. and let's take it more personally, "i."
Labels: events, philippines, politics, postnovitiate, reflection, social awareness, society
