EDITORIAL - "Pajero Bishops" just a figure of speech

Just like giant wildfires that start igniting small fires around it, the PCSO-Bishops cargate scandal similarly spun off many other smaller controversies. One of them involves the so-called “Pajero Bishops” tag. 

The term became a hit catchphrase in the media, to the consternation of the bishops who complained that while some of them may have solicited and accepted money from the PCSO to buy SUVs and other vehicles, none of these was a Pajero.

As a result, it was decided to find out who first coined and used the term “Pajero Bishops” and demand an explanation. But as things turned out, it was no less than the PCSO chairwoman herself, Margarita Juico, who coined the term.

So, should Juico apologize to the bishops for coming up with the term “Pajero Bishops” when in truth and in fact, no bishop ever bought a Pajero with PCSO money? While many Filipinos, mostly allied with the bishops, would shout a resounding yes, we believe no apology is necessary. 

That is, at least as far as coining the term is concerned. For we do not think it was the intention of Juico to cast aspersions on the bishops with the use of such a term more than the aspersions that have been cast already on account of the PCSO disclosure regarding the cars.

We do not think the term “Pajero Bishops” was coined because Pajeros were involved in the mess. We believe the use of the term Pajero was intended to underscore the point that the cars and SUVs embroiled in the mess were expensive.

In other words, the term “Pajero Bishops” is just a figure of speech, in the same way that saying “bring home the bacon” does not really mean bringing some bacon home literally but that something of value has been acquired, won or earned. 

To the credit of its manufacturer, the Pajero, at least in the Philippines, has become some sort of a status symbol so that it would not be entirely incorrect to refer to a certain group of people as “the Pajero set” even if none may own Pajeros but Montero Sports or Fortuners.