Lozada’s tirade against the diocese of bishops was prompted by the reported ban on priests to officiate in the celebration of the Holy Mass for him in Cebu and elsewhere early this week.

It appears he wanted the forum that he was attending to be preceded by a Mass with the students and members of cause-oriented groups’ presence, but that it was cancelled because no priests showed up to officiate it.

Lozada’s frustrations must have worsened when he was told that University of San Carlos president, the Rev. Fr. Rod Salazar, had also turned down the invitation extended by his group.

But it is untrue that there was a ban on priests to say mass for Lozada.

Monsignor Achilles Dakay, spokesman of the Archdiocese of Cebu said there was no such order from Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal whether written or verbal or whatever.

"Democracy works here in Cebu," he said.

Even so, Lozada felt bad on learning Cardinal Vidal issued a statement saying he should not be welcomed like a hero.

"Why should we give him a hero’s welcome?" the Cardinal was quoted as saying.

To Lozada who has been getting attention and kudos for what he has been doing, such negative comment coming from the Cebu prelate may have sounded like an assault to what he feels was his present place in public esteem.

It may be noted that the priest-turned politician, Pampanga Governor Among Panlilio, has called on the people to regard Lozada as a hero.

That is contentious, of course, as aside from what Cardinal Vidal has said, it is opposed to what the Bishops of Nueva Caceres in Bicol think of Jun Lozada, by the way, a fellow Bicolano.

Bishop Leonardo Legaspi of Camarines Sur has imposed on his diocese total ban on the celebration of Mass for the NBN whistleblower.

"I told our priests that they should not allow the Mass to be used for political rallies," he said, as he bewailed the blatant use of the Church for political ends that divide, instead of bring, the people together, stressing it degrades the sanctity of the altar.

Seeing priests and nuns and bishops allowing themselves to be used as instruments for such divisive purposes is deplorable, he said.

Also in Cebu, City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has categorically declared Lozano was not welcomed there.

Strong as they are, all these reactions should jolt the circumspection of Lozada’s handlers as they could indicate damning responsibility the moment his "allure" as whistleblower starts to fade in the estimation of those he now attracts.

At issue is that a lot of people are having second thoughts about his compulsion now that he appears to be increasingly stimulated by the attention he is getting.

His enemy could be the very enjoyment of the role he is playing: Now he has acquired the temerity to scold the Bishops and the Cardinals.