Senate panel to summon bishops in SUV controversy

By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA News

Published July 6, 2011 5:04pm

The Senate blue ribbon committee will summon next week the bishops who supposedly requested and received standard utility vehicles (SUVs) from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), panel chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said Wednesday. "We will invite them after tomorrow... most likely Tuesday next week," Guingona said at a press conference after Wednesday's hearing. PCSO director Atty. Aleta Tolentino had earlier revealed that P6.9 million of the charityâ€™s funds were allocated for the purchase of utility vehicles for certain prelates. During Wednesday's hearing, PCSO chair Margie Juico identified the Church officials as the following:

Fr. Adriano Ruiz of Cotabato (Toyota Grandia) as endorsed by Kidapawan Archbishop Romullo Valles

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad (Mitsubishi Strada)

Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos (Montero Sport) Juico said Fr. Roger Lood of Iligan City was supposed to receive an Isuzu Altera, as requested by Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, but it was not released. She added that the Archdiocese of Caritas Nueva Segovia in Ilocos Sur received an Isuzu Crosswind. Juico said similar requests were granted to the Diocese of Abra and Bontoc, as requested by Cobato Archbishop Orlando Beltran Quevedo, but her office could not determine what type of vehicles were donated because they were not liquidated. Guingona said that they will issue the invitations to the bishops after the blue ribbon committee's second hearing on the supposed anomalies in the PCSO on Thursday, where former PCSO officials are expected to attend. Sen. Francis Escudero, however, asked the committee to also ask the agency's incumbent officials to participate in the hearing despite having already attended the inquiry on Wednesday. "This is a formal Senate inquiry and I believe everyone will be in their proper decorum," he said during Wednesday's inquiry. â€” KBK, GMA News

Tags: pcso, pajerobishops, pcsofundmess