Aquino ready to apologize to bishops in PCSO mess but...

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday expressed his readiness to apologize to the bishops who were hurt when they were dragged into the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's controversy although he says he cannot understand why he needs to say sorry. "Yung apology hindi klaro bakit ako maga-apologize sa kanila," the President said at a press briefing after the awarding of housing units to military and police personnel in Calamba, Laguna. “Ako ay handang magpaumanhin kung me kasalanan po ako pero saan po ba nag-umpisa ang lahat ng isyung ito?" he asked. Aquino said the controversial donation of vehicles to some bishops did not happen during his administration. “Sila [bishops] at ang pinalitan ko [former President Gloria Arroyo] ang nag-usap, PCSO ng pinalitan kong administrasyon, tapos sa dulo...., sino ang nag-initiate ng controversy na ito, kami po ba?" Aquino said. He believed it was not right to blame the present PCSO management who just followed the report of the Commission Audit (COA), which pointed out "irregularities" in PCSO's donations of cars to seven bishops. “Hindi po yata tama na kami yung nagreport at ngayon binabantayan at nilalagay sa tama ang lahat ng sistema e kami pa ang mag-aapologize," the President said. But he said he will not pick a fight with the bishops, and that it's not good for the country that some people find pleasure in reading news reports insinuating that he is at odds with the bishops. “Hindi mabuti siguro na, alam ko kailangan nyo at mas nakakatuwang basahin sa peryodiko na nagtutunggali kami, pero hindi nakakatulong sa bansa," he said. He added that Malacañang could have made the situation worse but it did not choose to. “Alam nila [bishops] na pwede pang mapalala ang sitwasyon kung yun ang pakay namin pero hindi namin pinasukan yun," Aquino said. Also, the President said the controversy involving the bishops did not affect the relations between the Church and his administration. “Kayo ang testigo na talagang nagre-reach out kami (we always try to reach out to the Church)," he said. As to the Catholic Church's opposition to the government proposed Responsible Parenthood Bill (or Reproductive Health Bill), the Aquino said his administration has always made itself open to any chance for dialogue. Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo earlier said mere words of apology from PCSO chairperson Margie Juico are not enough. Juico had said she was sorry for whatever the controversy has caused the bishops involved. Juico and some PCSO officials claimed that the bishops received sports utility vehicles when in fact they did not. Bagaforo said "the best apology that they can do ay magbitiw sila sa kanilang trabaho. And therefore we ask the [PCSO] chairperson [Juico], the most 'gentlemanly' way of making an apology is for her to resign." — LBG, GMA News