I had forgiven Morato a long time ago–Juico

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chair Margarita Juico on Saturday accepted the apology offered Thursday by the agency’s former head, Manuel Morato.

“I have forgiven Mr. Manuel L. Morato a long time ago for his attacks on my person and my family,” Juico said in a statement e-mailed to the Inquirer.

“As a Christian, it is not mine to keep forgiveness from anyone,” Juico said.

“I hope Mr. Morato has forgiven me too for whatever pain he perceives he suffered as a result of my faithfully performing my duties as PCSO chair,” she added.

Morato is facing plunder charges in the Sandiganbayan antigraft court  brought by the PCSO against him, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other former PCSO officials for allegedly diverting P366 million from the agency’s intelligence fund from 2008 to 2010.

Although Juico is not the sole PCSO official who brought the case, Morato accused her in 2011 of involvement in irregularities at the PCSO.

Appointed PCSO chief by former President Fidel Ramos and retained as a director by Arroyo, who is now Pampanga representative, Morato alleged that Juico dipped her hands into the PCSO’s advertising fund when she was a director at the agency.

Morato questioned Juico’s credibility in calling attention to the alleged misuse of the PCSO advertising fund. “She herself is enjoying this,” he had said.

“He has always been like that, lying through his teeth,” Juico said at the time. “Anyone who believes him is twice a fool.”

Morato, who has been detained in a Quezon City hospital since October 2012, is recovering from heart bypass surgery.

On Friday, he said he was fine and he was expecting to be released from the hospital soon, although he has been instructed to return regularly for checkups.

Chastened by his failing health, he sent a letter to Juico on Thursday, offering “heartfelt apologies” for the “unfortunate differences” that they had in the past.

He did not discuss their differences in detail in his letter.

In accepting Morato’s apology on Saturday, Juico also did not refer to any details from the charges the PCSO had brought against him.

On Friday, Morato and three other former PCSO officials were allowed bail by the Sandiganbayan’s First Division.

Juico did not object to the court’s decision, finding it a “testament to the Aquino administration’s sense of justice.”

“The cases against Mr. Morato are best left to the sound discretion of the courts where they pend. We will abide by the decision and continue to respect rights protected under the Constitution,” she said.

With Inquirer Research