SENATE HEARING VS BISHOPS ON P7 MILLION PCSO FUNDS SCANDAL 07-13-2011

Bishops to face Senate; PCSO calls for healing
By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star) Updated July 13, 2011 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate Blue Ribbon committee resumes today its hearing on the alleged misuse of funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) with the Catholic bishops expected to attend and explain why they accepted financial assistance from the agency to buy sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, committee chair, said the Senate wants to hear the testimonies of Butuan City Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, who received a Mitsubishi Montero, Bontoc-Lagawe Bishop Rodolfo Beltran (Nissan Pathfinder), Abra Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian (Mitsubishi Strada), Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo (Toyota Grandia Hi-Ace), Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad (Mitsubishi Strada), Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles (Toyota Grandia Hi-Ace); and Nueva Segovia Archbishop Ernesto Salgado (Isuzu Crosswind).

The Church-run Radio Veritas reported that the bishops, except Salgado, would be attending the Blue Ribbon hearing. Salgado is reportedly out of the country.

Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said that Quevedo has been designated as the spokesman for the group.

Church sources said that nine other prelates would accompany the six bishops to show their support.

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The Unforgiven
By: Rina Jimenez-David
Philippine Daily Inquirer9:13 pm | Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

I MUST confess I didn't see that coming. "That" being the public apology contained in a pastoral statement titled "A Time of Pain, A Time of Grace" issued by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) at the close of its plenary assembly.

In their letter, the country's bishops apologized for the "pain and sadness" they have brought on the Catholic faithful as a result of the widening scandal involving seven bishops who received (or asked for) favors from the Arroyo administration-era Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Since much of the funds received were used to buy sports utility vehicles, the seven were dubbed the "Pajero 7," after the most popular SUV brand, although now it seems that none of the bishops ended up buying a Pajero.

Still, facing a Senate hearing on the improper use of government funds, funds raised from sweepstakes and lotto games which are forms of gambling which the Church officially condemns, the bishops may have had little choice but to admit the error of their ways. I had fully expected the men in robes to hang tough, since there were those who said the ones at fault were not the prelates but the PCSO officials. The government functionaries, it was pointed out, should have been aware that the Constitution expressly forbids the grant of state funds to religious persons or institutions for purely religious purposes.

Is buying vehicles for the use and comfort of bishops and priests a "religious" purpose? But what if the vehicles, as the bishops said, were being used to reach out and deliver goods and services to their flock in need?

These were just some of the questions the senators said they would ask the bishops if and when they showed up at a hearing. But with their public apology, it seems the senators have softened somewhat their belligerent stance regarding the bishops. Which may, to the suspicious, be precisely the aim of the sudden and unexpected humbling of the once-authoritative bishops.

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[hummerschmidt]

All the senators can do is just scrutinizing the matter, but offers no resolution, no indictment..and nobody goes to prison..putting up shows for media sensation to gain prestige in their career, but in the end they have actually done nothing..just refer to cases against- FG arroyo, zte-nbn benjamin abalos, ligot, lacson, afp reyes, comptroller garcia, hello garci, fertilizer scum, pnp helicopters, etc..millions of people's money were lost, and nobody goes to prison, the senate?..hopeless.

[Einstien1879]

SONA's --- the Great Pretenders ( by platters) because they dont LISTEN ( by charice) to MY PRAYER (platters )..  SO MANY QUESTIONS ( by side A ) all we got is NO REPLY (from beatles )...and people IMAGINE (by lennon ) the IMPOSSIBLE DREAM ( by elvis ) to end up only in CRYING TIME ( by victor wood ) & ACHY BREAKY HEART ( by cyrus).. KKK's TWIST & SHOUT ( by beatles ) WE ARE THE CHAMPONS ( by queen )...guarded by TOY SOLDIERS ( by martika ).. now the country is UNDER THE SEA (by disney): > )

[delphi1983]

ang hirap kasi sa mga tao ang daling maghusga

[ainamaree]

MY GOSH WHY DIDN't YOU INCLUDE BEGINNING PART? In your face PCSO! In your face proCHOICE! What did these bishops ever do? They help the poor.. Are you all happy?!?!?! They can't reach the depressed areas anymore! BOO PCSO!

[vladimirkafm]

Why "The Unforgiven"???...