Bishop wants bishop probed

If leaders of the Catholic Church are rallying around embattled Bishop Antonio Tobias, a lawmaker, who is also a Baptist bishop, wants him investigated for alleged involvement in a plot to destabilize the Arroyo administration and coddling a fugitive soldier.

Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante told a news forum at the Serye Café in Quezon City that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez should not just warn Tobias of possible investigation.

"They should summon him and ask him to explain," he said.

He said the Justice secretary should be fair to all those being accused of involvement in a plot to oust President Arroyo.

"If they are summoning business leaders linked to the supposed plot, they should also invite Church leaders who have been implicated. They should be fair to all," he said.

Bishop Tobias has admitted allowing escaped Magdalo leader Lt. Lawrence San Juan and other rebel soldiers to use his Quezon City residence for three days after they escaped from military detention.

He made the admission after San Juan turned his back on his Magdalo colleagues and those who supported him while in hiding, and squealed on them. Incoming Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has said the former fugitive is now cooperating with the government.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has vowed to help Bishop Tobias if the government files charges against him.

Abante is an administration ally. House leaders have named him the new chairman of the chamber’s human rights committee. He replaced Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales of the party-list group Akbayan, one of several lawmakers who are for impeaching Mrs. Arroyo and who have been stripped of their committee posts.

Two other Arroyo allies, Reps. Exequiel Javier of Antique and Marcelino Libanan of Eastern Samar, defended the plan of Gonzalez to charge all those allegedly involved in the oust-Arroyo plot, whether soldiers or priests.

"While a prince of the church whose office is worthy of respect, Bishop Tobias is not above the law and must be responsible for his actions," they said.

They said they believe that "political partisans" among clergymen do not reflect the views of the Church leadership.

For her part, Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros said the plan to charge Tobias "is a predatory attack against an obviously divided CBCP."

"President GMA wants to cleanse the Catholic leadership of those who will neither accept gifts nor tolerate deception," she said.

She warned bishops that if the Palace succeeds in this effort, the Catholic Church would be transformed into an administration "puppet."