Duque sabotaged Dagupan mass for truth, JDV claims

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY -- Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. accused Malaca­ñang and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III of sabotaging the mass and forum for truth held here April 4.

“The people of Secretary Duque and Albert Balingit, who are both from Dagupan, have been tearing down streamers and posters announcing the Mass and forum,” the former Speaker told reporters.

“But it is really Malacañang that is behind the move to prevent this event from taking place,” he said.

However, he said despite such effort, the Mass and forum for truth took place as scheduled.

The Mass was officiated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, an arch-critic of President Arroyo.

Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., star witness in the Senate’s national broadband network investigation, spoke in the forum that followed.

De Venecia, whose district covers Dagupan City, said Balingit is a director of Land Bank, whose son Brian is an assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture.
He said the Duque-Balingit teams “have been at work at night when nobody was looking.”

“But they were not able to prevent people from going to the mass and forum. Neither can they suppress the truth,” he said.

De Venecia said they have been invited to attend the mass and forum, but that he was leaving for South Korea that day with his wife for a speaking engagement.

“Besides, we do not want the event to be tainted with politics,” he added.

Interviewed by radio station dzMM, Bishop Cruz confirmed De Venecia’s claim, saying, “That is the information that we’ve been getting.”

He said the Mass and forum was held at the Dagupan Astrodome, whose use has been allowed by City Mayor Alipio Fernandez.

“I am not angry, just curious that there are certain administration allies who do such miserable tricks,” Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch critic of President Arroyo, told the media on the disappearance of the posters and streamers.

Cruz, who initiated the Mass for truth, justice and peace on April 4 at the People’s Astrodome, said he found it “interesting” that supporters of the Arroyo administration “with all their command of power and money could be afraid of Jun Lozada who does not even carry firecrackers.”

“It is clear that truth makes liars, cheats and thieves very nervous,” he said.
Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, said he learned about the disappearance of the streamers, which he had initiated, at around 7 p.m. Monday.

Mendoza said he went to the places where the streamers were displayed last week
and was surprised to find them all gone.

“I wonder who are the ‘nice guys’ behind the stolen streamers,” he said.

“Agda gabay amo. Samay walay iyaamot to, agto gabay ya onpaway (It seems like they don’t like it. The one hiding something doesn’t like it to be divulged),” he said. “Makapageget (It’s annoying).”

Both Cruz and Mendoza said there was no need to replace the “stolen” streamers.

Mendoza said this was the first time such a thing happened since the archdiocese staged rallies against the Arroyo administration.

In the past, he said Cruz spearheaded similar forums against jueteng and former
President Joseph Estrada, but no such incident took place.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, city police chief, said he would investigate the disappearance of the streamers.

Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez, police provincial director, also wondered why such a thing happened since Cruz’s group has a permit to hold the forum.

“Rest assured we will look into this matter,” he said.