Opposing corruption, seeking the truth and standing for change

SCIENTISTS FOR TRUTH, SCIENTISTS FOR CHANGE
STATEMENT

OPPOSING CORRUPTION, SEEKING THE TRUTH AND STANDING FOR CHANGE

For the past few weeks, we have been witness to the revelations made by Engineer Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, Jr. who provided credible testimony on the multi-million dollar overpricing of the ZTE National Broadband Network deal. He has pointed to the complicity of the former COMELEC Chairperson Benjamin Abalos, the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and Malacañang in the scandal involving at least $130 million in kick backs from the project.

We have also witnessed the brazen lengths that this government will go to silence the whistleblower that tries to expose their corruption within its core. They kidnapped Lozada and is now engaged in legal pressure as well as dirty smear tactics on Lozada.

We recall the unresolved scandals of this administration that it similarly tried to quell down: the massive fraud in the elections of 2004, the Hello Garci scandal, extrajudicial killings, Proclamation 1017, charter change and widespread graft and corruption. Her deliberate moves to sell our national patrimony and her refusal to build our own domestic industries contribute to the exodus of scientists and engineers from our country. Furthermore, this government has gone to great lengths in violating our rights, undermining our institutions and promoting a climate of impunity just to stay in power.

These scandals and cover ups have led even the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to call for “communal action” saying that the time has come for people to unite and liberate the country that has long been “hostage to scandalous and shady government deals.”

We oppose corruption. We, engineers, scientists and technologists can no longer ignore the corruption of this government. We condemn its utter disregard of our rights and institutions engendering a climate of impunity and the unwillingness of Arroyo to heed the strong clamor for her to resign despite the stack of evidence against her.

We seek the truth. We support Engr. Lozada, who finished electronics and communications engineering at UST in 1984, in standing for truth and exposing the details that confirms the extent of corruption within this government. This government commits crimes with impunity because it seriously believes it can get away with anything. It abuses its power to cover up its tracks, thinking the we the people are stupid enough to believe anything.

We stand for change. We join the people's call to exercise their sovereign right to bring about a government that is independent, moral, and pro-people in the face of Arroyo administration continued efforts to usurp it. We call Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to account for these scandals and for her policies that allow the plunder of our economy and natural resources. We oppose the revival of cha-cha, as it is clearly a diversionary tactic and is designed to make Arroyo and her policies permanent. We add our voices to calls for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down or be ousted and join hands with the rest of the Filipinos who are disgusted with corruption, cheating and cover-ups. ###