Bishops return vehicles

The "Pajero" vehicles that sparked protests and controversy between the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines have been returned to the PCSO on Wednesday.

During Wednesday's Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing, the bishops said that the vehicles that were given to them were used to serve the poor and the needy. It was also pointed out that no Pajero was received by any of the bishops.

Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato said that regardless of whether the fact that they were given vehicles were lawful or unlawful, constitutional or not, the vehicles in Mindanao will be returned to the authorized PCSO officials.

The bishops also expressed their apologies for causing confusion, and said that they were ready to accept responsibility for their action and ready to face the consequence.

Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos also admitted that he wrote to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking for a 4x4 vehicle. He also expressed in the hearing that it was a lapse in judgement in his part.

Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, and Jinggoy Estrada, however, asked the bishops to reconsider their decision to return the vehicles as they were used to help the needy.

Enrile pointed out that the responsibility for making sure that public funds are used properly lies with the government agencies and the recipient has no liability.

It also came out during the hearing that instead of Mitsubishi Pajeros, some of the bishops received second-hand vehicles and that none of them received a Pajero.

The bishops, however, said that they are firm in their decision to return the vehicles.

Estrada also asked PCSO chair Margie Juico who came out with the false report that the bishops received Pajeros.

Earlier, PCSO director Atty. Aleta Tolentino said that based on a report from the Commission on Audit, PCSO gave out PhP6.9 million from its funds during the last administration and that these were used to buy vehicles for the bishops of the Archdiocese of Cotabato, Zamboanga, Caritas Nueva Segovia, Basilan, and Butuan in 2009.

Juico in return apologized to the bishops for failing to correct reports that Pajeros were given to them instead of the actual vehicles that the bishops received.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago also reminded the COA that its mandate is to audit and not to settle constitutional violations. — DBL