Only the Pope can punish ‘Pajero’ bishops, says Catholic priest

Only Pope Benedict XVI can punish the Philippine bishops accused of committing impropriety in accepting or soliciting Pajero sports utility vehicles from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during the Arroyo administration, a Catholic priest said Wednesday in a 990AM interview.

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic priest said on Wednesday that only Pope Benedict XVI could punish the Philippine bishops accused of committing impropriety in accepting or soliciting Pajero sports utility vehicles from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during the Arroyo administration.

Father Jerome Sicillano, a candidate for licentiate at the University of Sto. Tomas Faculty of Canon Law, said the bishops, if found guilty of improprieties by the Pope would be suspended from the faculty of bishops and would not be allowed to say mass.

Sicillano stressed that only the Pope could impose punishment and the Pope could only act if a complaint would be sent to the Vatican.

Sicillano said the issue of bishops accepting expensive gifts from the Philippine government was more of a moral and not a canonical issue.  But overall, he said, the issue has had a negative impact on the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, the Aquino government is studying what steps to take to make the old management of the PCSO under the Arroyo regime and the bishops accountable, with the PCSO saying laws have prohibited the use of state resources for religious activities.

For the report listen to 990AM.