PCSO chief scolded for saying bishops received Pajeros

At least two senators on Wednesday scolded Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chair Margarita Juico for supposedly claiming that certain Catholic bishops received Mitsubishi Pajeros from the agency even if they did not. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada grilled Juico on how she was initially quoted as saying that the bishops received six to seven Pajeros during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. "Who came out with that false report that the bishops were receiving Pajeros? Mrs. Juico, this is a very crucial question kasi the bishops are now being put into bad light. Kawawa naman sila," he said during Wednesday's Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the PCSO fund controversy. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile likewise said that it was clearly written on the checks what kind of vehicles were granted to the prelates, so the PCSO should not have made a mistake. "They were unfairly accused of receiving expensive vehicles which was rather incorrect," he told reporters after the hearing. PCSO director Atty. Aleta Tolentino had earlier said that according to a Commission Audit report, P6.9 million of PCSO's funds were allocated for the purchase of utility vehicles, supposedly for the Archdiocese of Cotabato, Zamboanga, Caritas Nueva Segovia, Basilan, and Butuan, from February to July 2009. It was later revealed that the prelates received different utility vehicles supposedly needed for their charity work and other missions. On Wednesday, the bishops returned the controversial vehicles. Juico, however, could not explain how she was quoted as saying that the bishops received Pajeros since the only information that they had in the beginning was that five vehicles costing P6.9 million were granted to the Catholic Church by the PCSO. "All we had was the COA report. We never said Pajero... somebody said it was Pajero. It was I think an information that was given by one of the managers in the PCSO when they said utility vehicles were given to bishops," she said. "I really don't know how that happened," she added, noting that they have already corrected the matter repeatedly in the media. PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas said he believes Juico may have been misquoted. "Rest assured our bishops that it did not come from anyone of us that the Pajeros were given to you... we seek your indulgence but we have never mentioned the word Pajeros," he said during the same hearing. Estrada asked, however, how Juico could have been misquoted by so many media outfits. He likewise warned Juico to verify reports first before coming out with it. "Our bishops are being put in a very, very bad situation, and as a devout Catholic it pains me to hear that our bishops are involved in anomalies here in our country," he said. Juico, for her part, apologized for what happened. "I'm so sorry for whatever it is we have caused the bishops here. I really don't know where that came from," she said. - KBK, GMA News