Palace to let bishops decide whether to return or keep PCSO-donated SUVs

Malacañang on Wednesday said it will leave it up to the bishops who received sports utility vehicles (SUVs) from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) the decision to return or keep the vehicles. “Nasa kanilang konsensiya kung ano ang dapat nilang gawin. We will leave it to them to decide the best and proper thing to do in this case," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. “We are glad that the PCSO is doing its job of promoting transparency in their search for the truth. Trabaho lang ang ginagawa nila so it is something they are doing based on their mandate to promote good governance," he added. Asked by News To Go's Howie Severino in an interview last Monday if it was proper that recipients should return the SUVs, PCSO director Atty. Aleta Tolentino said: "Kailangan isauli ang mga sasakayan."
At a Senate hearing on Wednesday morning, PCSO head Margie Juico named the recipients of SUVs from the agency during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. They were:

• Fr. Adriano Ruiz of Cotabato (Toyota Grandia) as endorsed by Kidapawan Archbishop Romullo Valles,
• Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad (Mitsubishi Strada), and
• Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos (Montero Sport).

Pueblos, who had earlier asked President Benigno Aquino III to resign, requested the vehicle for his 66th birthday. "I really need a brand-new car, possibly a 4x4 which I can use to reach the far-flung areas of Caraga (region)," Pueblos wrote in his March 8, 2009 letter to then-President Arroyo. "I hope you will not fail to give a brand-new car which will serve as your birthday gift to me." Juico said Fr. Roger Lood of Iligan City was supposed to receive an Isuzu Altera as requested by Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, but the car was not released. She added that the Archdiocese of Caritas Nueva Segovia in Ilocos Sur received an Isuzu Crosswind. On the other hand, she said they could not determine what vehicles were donated to the Diocese of Abra and Bontoc as requested by Cobato Archbishop Orlando Beltran Quevedo because they were not liquidated. But she said Quevedo in 2009 requested two brand new Elf vehicles and one 4x4 van to be used to transport donations and volunteers to far-flung areas in need of immediate help. — LBG/KBK, GMA News