Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Man booed, punched, forced to leave
A MAN was booed, forced to go out of the University of San Carlos gymnasium and was punched by an unidentified person who also held his crotch while the forum with Senate witness Rodolfo Lozada, Jr. was ongoing yesterday.
The man, who only identified himself as “Po, 28 years old,” sparked the tension when he remarked that the forum was biased after the emcee interrupted him because he took time laying the premise to his question.
“Po” asked Lozada why the issue on the national broadband network (NBN) deal has not been brought to the courts.
Some people in the audience booed him, and the booing only stopped when another participant stood up to ask another question to Lozada.
The tension erupted again, however, when Lourdes Barcenas, wife of former Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter president Democrito Barcenas, confronted “Po,” who was at the back talking with Raddy Diola, brother of Dilaab’s coordinating steward Fr. Carmelo Diola.
Lourdes pointed a finger at “Po” and said he does not belong in the forum.
“Po” shrugged his shoulders and raised his arms while answering and was booed again as male participants of the forum started to flock around him.
To ease the tension, Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas advised “Po” to leave the gym temporarily, which he did, guided by Diola and accompanied by some of the forum participants to the corridor outside the USC school gym.
But “Po” decided to leave the USC campus altogether and answered reporters questions only when he was on the sidewalk along Sanciangko St.
Along the way, someone punched him once on his side and held his crotch.
“It’s not even supposed to be tense. These tours are causing tension and this is actually the proof of it,” said “Po,” who refused to give his full name because “it’s not even important.”
He described himself as not belonging to any organization and that while he stopped his schooling to work, he continued being vigilant on social issues by reading the newspapers and watching the news.
“I’m not saying that what they are saying in there is false. All I want to say is that if we are in search for the truth, we should entertain everybody from both sides,” he said.
He added that when he learned that Lozada is coming over for an open forum, he grabbed the opportunity to ask the witness as part of his search for truth.
“My question was basically simple. Everybody has been asking this same question. Why are they not taking the issue to the court? The Senate inquiry, while it is very visible, cannot condemn and cannot acquit anybody whether they are guilty or not,” he said.
He was surprised that the participants in the event reacted because he thought the forum was open to the public.
“What did they do? They slapped me and got my crotch, man. Somebody threatened to punch me. I respect them but I believe I should be respected, too,” he said, his lips quivering.
Witnesses however said “Po” was actually punched, not slapped, like what he thought.
“Po” finally left the place, guided by Diola, when some participants passed him as they exited the Sanciangko gate of the university after the forum ended.
They threw negative remarks at “Po” when they saw him.
Diola said he accompanied Po because he pitied him.
Pedrosa explained that the incident happened because Po extended the two minutes allotted per question even when the audience wanted to listen to Lozada.
“In situations like this, people, like Madam Barcenas, were offended by his gestures. Let us respect the rules. I tried to explain that to him but it seems like he wouldn’t listen,” said Pedrosa. (NRC)
