Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. accused Malacañang and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday of allegedly sabotaging the Mass and forum for truth that administration critics are set to hold in Dagupan City tomorrow.
“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 will take place tomorrow as scheduled.
The Mass will be 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, will speak in the forum that will follow.
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 cannot really 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 is leaving for South Korea today 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 will be held at the Dagupan Astrodome, whose use has been allowed by City Mayor Alipio Fernandez.