Palace welcomes CBCP statement on bishops linked to PCSO fund mess

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Monday welcomed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ statement that bishops linked to the fund mess in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office were ready to accept responsibility if their actions were proven to be unlawful.

“It was expected of them to take a stand because several bishops are concerned. Now that they’ve spoken that they’re ready to accept the consequences, we will have to see what those will be in the unfolding of the investigation in the Senate,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Valte also said the CBCP’s appeal that the bishops not be judged at this point was a “fair appeal” given that she said the Senate was still looking into the allegations that included the seven bishops alleged acceptance of motor vehicles from the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Asked whether there will be changes on how the government donates to the Church after the CBCP said it would reevaluate how it deals with the government, Valte said that it was up to the PCSO board to make that determination “if ever they plan on tweaking, so to speak, of how help is given.”

“Of course, we hope this will not affect the partnership that government has with different religious sectors when it comes to charity work,” Valte also told reporters.

She also reiterated that the fund mess involving the bishops came from the 2008 and 2009 audit findings of the Commission on Audit.

Valte also said the Palace supports the proposal to conduct a lifestyle check on former PCSO General Manager Rosario Uriarte, saying that “if you have nothing to hide, there’s nothing wrong.”