Bishops Cleared, The Journal, July 14, 2011

Bishops Cleared

The Journal
July 14, 2011

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/headlines/9306-bishops

SENATOR Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday came to the defense of beleaguered bishops linked to the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office fund.

Santiago said the prelates did not violate the Constitution when they received monetary donations from PCSO to purchase vehicles for their social work while Enrile lamented that the Church leaders were “unjustly accused.”

At yesterday’s resumption of the Senate investigation into the alleged PCSO fund mess, Santiago maintained that under Republic Act 1169, as amended, the PCSO Charter authorizes the agency “to engage in health and welfare-related investments, programs, projects, and activities” by itself or in collaboration with others.

”I humbly submit that the CoA report is wrong, and that there was no constitutional violation. Under the Constitution, the power of the CoA is to audit government funds, not to settle questions of constitutional law. That power is granted only to the Supreme Court,” Santiago said.

No Pajero

Enrile said the seven bishops had been “unfairly accused” of purchasing luxury vehicles with PCSO money.

He deplored previous news reports indicating that the bishops had bought “Pajeros” out of PCSO donations which the COA and current PCSO officials described as illegal since the Constitution disallows donation of public funds to any religious institution.

Except for Bishop Ernesto Salgado, Archbishop of Caritas Nueva Segovia, who is abroad, the six other concerned prelates linked to the PCSO fund scandal appeared at the Senate hearing to air their side. They were: Bontoc-lagawe Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, Abra Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, Rev. Martin Jumoad, of Isabela, Basilan; Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, of Cotabato; and Archbishop Romulo Valles.

”I think they were unfairly accused of receiving expensive vehicles which was rather incorrect. And I think the matter was clarified already,” Enrile said. PCSO Chairperson Margarita Juico denied that she was the one who tagged the bishops as the “Pajero 7.”

”We never said Pajero. We were given this finding from CoA that five vehicles costing P6.9 million granted to the Catholic church were charged to the charity fund. The Pajero did not come from us. Somebody told us,” Juico said during the hearing.

To which Enrile replied: ”Who was this somebody? Mrs. Juico, this is a very crucial question kasi the bishops are now being put into bad light. If you can answer us, share to us some information kung sino ang nagsabi na Pajero po ang tinatanggap ng mga arsobispo natin. Eh di naman talaga mga luxury vehicles ang tinatanggap nitong mga bishops. Kawawa naman sila.”

”I think somebody in the PCSO told me it was a Pajero and maybe that got spun around. I think I made a correction when I finally got the documents that there were no Pajeros. There was a Grandia, there were other cars. There were no Pajeros. I made that correction several times,” Juico said.

SUVs returned

Three of the bishops yielded their questioned vehicles, parking them at the Senate before attending the hearing on the PCSO fund scandal.

Those who returned their SUVs were Bishops Beltran, Jaucian and Salgado. Salgado, who is abroad, sent a representative to the Senate to return an Isuzu Sportivo while Beltran gave up an L-300 van and a Nissan Pathfinder. Jaucian turned over a Mitsubishi Strada.

Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos admitted a “lapse of judgment” in requesting — as a birthday gift — an SUV from then President now Rep.Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He said he intended to use the vehicle for his social work activities in Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.

”My best efforts have been misconstrued. It pains me as well as my diocese. I reiterate my willingness to face consequences in my lapse of judgment. May this bring out the best in us,” Pueblos said.