Bishop asked for 'brand new 4x4' b-day gift from GMA

MANILA, Philippines - Butuan City Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos asked for a brand new 4x4 vehicle from then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for his birthday in 2009, an official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) revealed in a Senate hearing today.

Francisco Joaquin, PCSO board member, made the revelation as he read Pueblos's supposed letter addressed to former President Arroyo at the first hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Joaquin said that Pueblos's letter was dated February 2009 and was given to former President Arroyo's office through a PCSO director identified as Maria Fatima Valdez.

He said the letter's opening was "Your Excellency. Greetings of Peace in the Lord Jesus" and then the bishop informed the former president that he is celebrating his 66th birthday on Mar. 8, 2009, a month before the letter was sent.

Instead of holding a costly birthday party, the bishop said in his letter that he plans to spend the day by himself "and with God."

The bishop then mentioned Malacañang's labeling of him as the "peace champion of Caraga" and then he mentioned his birthday wish from the former president.

"I know I can do more to promote and work for peace. It is in this view that I am asking a favor from his Excellency. At present I really need a brand new car, possibly a 4x4, which I can use to reach the far-flung areas of Caraga," Joaquin said, reading the letter during the congressional inquiry on the misuse of PCSO funds.

"I hope yo will never fail to give a brand new car which will serve as your birthday gift to me. For your information, I have with me a seven-year-old car, which is not anymore in good running condition. Therefore, this needs to be replaced soon. I'm anticipating your favorable response on this regard," Joaquin said as he continued to read the letter.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the blue ribbon committee, said they will invite the Pueblos and other bishops who allegedly received vehicle grants from the PCSO during the time of the former president in the next hearing, which has been scheduled for tomorrow.

Guingona said that the committee will determine if the vehicles given to bishops were used for charitable works or for religious purposes, which is against the Constitution.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines had said that it is willing to cooperate in the government's investigation.

In disarray

In her opening statement, PCSO Chairperson Margie Juico said that when the agency was turned over to her they also discovered questionable contracts and agreements, through a 2009 report of the Commission on Audit, which "indicates a compelling need to institute policy or even structural reforms."

Aside from the questionable contracts, she said that she found that the PCSO office was also in disarray, physically.

She said that after being appointed to the post in July 2010, she went around the PCSO occupied compound in Quezon City and found out an "air-conditioned" store with "big, empty freezers" and severa rooms with papers and documents. She said she even witnesses a foul-smelling comfort room.

"I found out that the disarray was not just physical. It was procedural, structural... and it's everywhere," she said, adding that it was then that she thought she needs to implement massive reforms in the PCSO.

Before Joaquin revealed Pueblos's birthday letter, Juico repeated earlier news reports that the old PCSO leadership issued five bank checks worth P6.9 million for luxury vehicles granted to at least five Catholic dioeceses and archdioces in 2009.

Juico said that they discovered the "questionable" donations to the Catholic Church through a 2009 report of the Commission on Audit. She said that upon learning of the donations, she immediately ordered an internal investigation.

The Philippine Star earlier reported that instead of buying the vehicles, the past PCSO administration issued Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) checks to parishes amounting to more than P6 million and three of which did not jibe with the board resolution that approved the grants for Iligan and Sorsogon City.

On Feb 11, 2009, a check was issued to the Diocese of Cotabato City for the purchase of vehicle amounting to P1,440,998.

Another LBP check was issued to the Zamboanga Archdiocese on June 19, 2009, amounting to P1,540,835, also for the purchase of service vehicles.

An LBP check dated July 2, 2009 amounting to P1,704,147.90 was issued to the Diocese of Butuan, care of Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, another for the Catholic prelate of Isabela, Basilan and a P720,000 check to Caritas Nueva Segovia on Feb, 22, 2010.

The PCSO earlier confirmed the grant of four-wheel drive services vehicles for the dioceses of Butuan, North Cotabato, Sorsogon, and Iligan City.

In a series of board resolutions in 2009, the former PCSO board approved the grant of two SUVs to Butuan City Bishop Pueblos, one for Rev. Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, Monsignor Augusto Laban of Sorsogon and Fr. Roger Lood of the parish of Iligan City.

The request of Lood was coursed through Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao, who, in turn, endorsed the letter to President Arroyo on May 29, 2009.

The two SUVs of Pueblos amounting to P1.7 million each was contained in board resolution 783 of June 5, 2009 and resolution 328, dated March 12, 2009.

The old PCSO Board approved the grant of two vehicles to the Diocese of Butuan for the use of its various community programs in Caraga.