Bishops willing to return ‘donated’ vehicles

Catholic bishops who received sports utility vehicles (SUVs) from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) have expressed willingness to return the vehicles, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Thursday. The CBCP said one of the bishops was Butuan Bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, who received a Mitsubishi Montero Sport in 2009. “I don’t see any problem with that. I am riding a very old vehicle within the diocese itself. I could even ride a small vehicle if it is necessary. It will not really be a problem," Pueblos said in an article posted on the CBCP news site. Pueblos had allegedly written then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking for a vehicle for his 66th birthday. On Thursday, Pueblos said he is willing to attend the ongoing Senate investigation into the questionable donations by the PCSO during the Arroyo administration. He said this would give him a chance to clear his name, as he claims to be a victim of "character assassination." "Yes, I would even like to make a privilege speech in Senate. It's a character assassination what they did to me and because of this I have also in sort of to defend myself," he said. Another bishop, Martin Jumoad (Basilan), said he is willing to return the Mitsubishi Strada his diocese bought using the financial aid from the PCSO in 2009. "If they want to get it, it's ready. We can return it to them," he said. Jumoad reiterated that the pickup vehicle is being used not as his personal car but for medical and relief operations in Basilan. The present PCSO administration said an audit showed that at least P6.9 million in charity funds were used to buy vehicles upon the request of some bishops. It said such donations may violate a Constitutional provision prohibiting the use of government money for religious groups. Under Article VI Section 29 (2) of the 1987 Constitution, "No public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher, or dignitary as such, except when such priest, preacher, minister, or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces, or to any penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium." End controversy Bishops Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. (Caloocan) and Arturo Bastes (Sorsogon) said the vehicles should be given back to the PCSO to finally put an end to the controversy. "Just return the vehicles to put an end to this issue. Not doing so will only fuel speculations," said Iñiguez. "Return all these vehicles to PNoy (President Benigno Aquino III). They’ll make it appear that the bishops personally used those vehicles when the bishops didn’t," Bastes, for his part, said. Other bishops who received budget for buying an SUV included Archbishops Orlando Quevedo (Cotabato), Romulo Valles (Zamboanga), Ernesto Salgado (Nueva Segovia), and Bishops Rodolfo Beltran (Bontoc-Lagawe) and Leopoldo Jaucian (Abra). Take a leave, bishop urged Running priest Fr. Roberto Reyes, meanwhile, suggested that Pueblos take a leave of absence due to the controversy. “He should set an example as to how a bishop should behave in the context of a scandal," Reyes said in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News website. Also, Reyes said the bishops should return the vehicles and the money they got to the government. "Restitution is important. We repair the damage, if there's some damage done, and it will be good for the image of the Church. We all commit mistakes anyway," he said. - KBK, GMA News