‘No Catholic bishops, priests as Bulacan consultants’

MANILA, Philippines - Malolos, Bulacan Bishop Jose Oliveros yesterday denied reports that Catholic bishops and priests were hired as consultants and received honoraria from the provincial government. 

Oliveros, who is currently in Rome, was reacting to reports that the Commission on Audit (COA) found out that the Bulacan provincial government hired bishops and priests from different religious congregations among its consultants last year. 

The religious leaders reportedly received honoraria ranging from P9,000 to P22,500 a month, in violation of Section 6, Article II of the 1987 Constitution which states that the “separation of the Church and the State is inviolable,” COA said. 

In a statement, the Diocese of Malolos said the phrase “Bulacan bishops and priests” in the news reports “should not be understood as the clergy of the Catholic Church in Bulacan.”

Fr. Dario Cabral, who chairs the Commission on Social Communications of the diocese, said that based on their own investigation, bishops and priests who received monthly honoraria from the provincial capitol came from different sects in the province.

The COA uncovered that the Bulacan provincial government spent P196.33 million last year to pay for the services of casual employees, job order or contractual personnel, and consultants.

In an interview with CBCPNews, Oliveros said he was not aware of any of his priests being hired as a consultant of the provincial government. 

He recalled that during the third State of the Nation Address of President Aquino last year, someone identified himself as a bishop from Bulacan, but “he is not a Catholic bishop.” 

Sources in the provincial capitol reported that this person, who reportedly belonged to a Christian sect, allegedly received P20,000 to P25,000 supposedly as consultant to the provincial jail and solicited funds for the retreat of his priests.   

Oliveros’ vicar general, Msgr. Andres Valera, and chancellor, Fr. Pablo Legazpi Jr., has informed him that whenever their priests were asked to celebrate Mass at provincial government offices, the stipend would come from the employees and their department heads and not from the provincial government’s coffers.

Meanwhile, Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando admitted he had 20 of the 72 consultants of the provincial government. Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado was still mum about the COA report as of press time.

Fernando clarified though that the 20 consultants, including lawyers and doctors, were not his personal consultants but of the entire provincial board.

Among the consultants, he said, was former vice governor Aurelio Plamenco who received P35,000 a month. 

On pastors and priests as consultants, Fernando said he did not have any, but admitted that some pastors had sought assistance from him. 

He also clarified that the “love gifts” he had given the pastors came from his earnings as an actor, saying he recently became more active in independent films and TV series.

Senior board member Michael Fermin clarified that the services of consultants could be terminated anytime. “They are contractual, and their services are only as long as they are needed,” he said.

Fermin said local government units are allowed to hire consultants based on their experience and expertise. 

But COA said some consultants hired by the provincial government are high school graduates and do not possess the educational qualifications and work experience required by their work assignments.      – With Dino Balabo