OR MAKE that mislabeling. That is the moniker “Pajero 7” appended to bishops who reportedly received luxury vehicles from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
So indeed, the PCSO bared the letter of Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos personally requesting a Mitsubishi Montero Sport 4 x 4 from then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a “bithday gift” in 2009.
So does one swallow a summer make?
In a letter to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Wednsday, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines President Bishop Nereo Odchimar “categorically” denied that the PCSO donations some bishops had received during the Arroyo administration were used to purchase Pajeros and for their personal use.
Odchimar attached to his letter a list of vehicles purchased by certain dioceses or vicariates from the PCSO donation.
A Mitsubishi Strada pick-up worth P1.107 million bought on Jan. 23, 2009 by the Diocese of Abra used to “transport personnel and carry needed materials for service missions to the poor and needy constituents of Abra province.”
A Toyota Grandia Hi-Ace van worth P1.4 million purchased by the Archdiocese of Cotabato on April 30, 2009 for its social action center, and used “to distribute medicines and other relief goods to disaster-hit areas in the diocese, community health programs.”
A Mitsubishi Strada pick-up worth P1.225 million bought on Dec. 29, 2009 by the Prelature of Isabela (Basilan) for “medical and health missions [and] community visitations to the indigent communities of Basilan province.”
A Toyota Grandia Hi-Ace van worth P1.518 million bought on Sept. 14, 2009, by the Archdiocese of Zamboanga partly for “medical-related services.”
An Isuzu Crosswind utility van worth P720,000 acquired by Caritas Nueva Segovia for “health, dental and medical outreach programs.”
At the Senate hearing, PCSO Director Francisco Joaquin disclosed that the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe was the recipient of a donation used to purchase a 17-seat Isuzu passenger van.
The CBCP said the Bontoc-Lagawe vicariate which allegedly received P600,000 in cash for the purchase of a Pajero, instead bought a “second-hand, 10-year-old Nissan Pathfinder pick-up” for P280,000.”
That prompted Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to ask: “Is that a luxury car, vehicle? The terrain there is very rugged, right? So it’s not a luxury vehicle.”
When asked why she initially alleged that bishops got Pajeros, which led to the “Pajero 7” tag, PCSO Chair Margarita Juico was quoted as saying: “Maybe because people call a big jeep they see a Pajero.”
Foot in mouth disease for Madame Margie there.
“Our conscience is clear.” So wrote Bishop Odchimar in his letter. “The bishop does not own the donation but holds it in trust for public use of his diocese. Hence, the donation is not given to the bishop as such. Whatever benefit the Catholic Church may draw from the gift is purely incidental.”
Why, even Pueblos’ personal request for a Montero included an explanation that it would be used for his “spiritual and social services to the people.”
Odchimar said he and his fellow bishops were willing to “face the consequences of having accepted financial aid from the government so as to channel it to those who need them most.”
“If the collective wisdom of the Senate will indicate to us that such financial assistance to the poor, as coursed through religious groups, is in fact improper if not illegal, then by all means let us put an end to this long-standing practice.” So declared the CBCP president.
Amid allegations that the bishops who received PCSO donations violated the law prohibiting the use of state funds for religious purposes, Enrile said he would “presume good faith until otherwise proven.”
Said the seasoned statesman: “The State and the Church deal with the same person. If the donation is received by the bishop, whether in cash or in kind, for the sole benefit of the Church, then indeed that is obviously prohibited.”
And then: “But if it is used primarily for a social function, that is actually a responsibility of the State more than the responsibility of the Church because the Church deals only with the spiritual needs of the people, then we come to a very difficult situation here.”
A difficult situation indeed. In the meanwhile, those poor bishops have to suffer that “Pajero 7” brand for life. No matter their being most clearly, and maliciously, mislabeled.
