Philippine bishops discuss ‘gifts’ investigation

MANILA, Philippines—Roman Catholic bishops in the Philippines are discussing how to investigate allegations that seven of them received luxury vehicles as gifts from a government lottery, a church official said Sunday.

The bishops, who are holding their twice-annual meeting behind closed doors in Manila this weekend, are still discussing how to take up the allegations, which have tied them to alleged corruption, said Monsignor Pedro Quitorio.

“It is hard for them, their names have been destroyed,” said Quitorio, the church media officer, referring to the seven bishops named.

“However, if this investigation can help in opening up the can of worms in the (government lottery), then at least something good will come out of their suffering,” he told AFP.

State lottery officials previously alleged that bishops were given Mitsubishi Pajeros and large donations from then president Gloria Arroyo in 2007-2010 to get their support.

The cars and donations, allegedly financed using state lottery funds, helped bolster Arroyo’s position during her impeachment crisis over alleged corruption and vote fraud.

Quitorio said it was still difficult to say if the seven bishops were guilty or innocent, adding that the bishops’ assembly was still deciding how to handle the matter.

The Philippine Senate is investigating the allegations and has threatened to summon the bishops to a hearing.

Previously, the head of the bishops’ conference, Nereo Odchimar, sent a letter to the Senate, saying the church officials believed there was no violation of the law.

The church leaders’ organization also said in a separate statement that three of the bishops received lottery cash for “social projects” and had used some of the funds to purchase vehicles for those projects.

The statement said bishops had chosen more humble vehicles, such as used pick-up trucks, rather than the luxury Pajeros.