DENR must explain first before Garcia

  Of course Cebu priest Msgr. Cristobal Garcia needs to answer serious questions about how he acquired the ivory used in his extensive collection of religious images. But the shoe would be on the other foot if the questioning will be done by the DENR.

 The fact of the matter is, it should be the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that should be answering serious questions first. For instance, did the DENR have any clue about the collection of Msgr. Garcia before the story broke in media?

 Msgr. Garcia never made any secret about his collection of religious images made from ivory. Year after year, he organizes an exhibit of these images at one of the malls in Cebu timed to coincide with the feast of the Santo Niño.

 The timing of the exhibit is revealing. The feast of the Santo Niño is one of the biggest attractions in the Philippines. Millions of people flock to Cebu during this time both for the feast and for the world famous Sinulog festival.

 That Msgr. Garcia timed his exhibit around the fiesta suggests only one thing — he wants as many people as possible to see his collection of religious images made of ivory. And if the DENR does not get my drift at this point, then allow me to point out the obvious:

 The DENR is clueless about its job, that’s what. Do not tell me that not one among the hundreds of DENR employees ever had a chance to see the exhibit of Msgr. Garcia in all the years that it has been held.

 My suspicion is that many DENR employees and officials actually saw the carved ivory pieces of Msgr. Garcia’s collection of religious images but that it never occurred to a single one of them that something must be wrong.

 And if I am allowed to get really mischievous, I would presume that at the very least a few of them suspected something must be wrong but were to chicken s..t to do anything because Msgr. Garcia is, well, a monsignor.

 That is why I am surprised that the DENR is now taking the lead in pushing for the questioning of Msgr. Garcia when it itself had been grossly remiss in doing its job in the very first place.

 If the DENR had always been up on its toes, I do not think Msgr. Garcia would have gotten the chance to acquire the ivory from which are carved his extensive collection of religious images.

 All the way from entering the country to purchase and acquisition to crafting and finally displaying the ivory pieces — all of these involve steps that smell all the way to high heavens of DENR responsibility that has not been exercised, of being remiss in a vital duty and mandate.

 I have another suspicion. I think the DENR would not have cared less had the story not broken in media, more particularly in the October issue of National Geographic from which was based all the reports that have now placed Msgr. Garcia on the spot.

 I will give you an example of why I think the DENR never cares any less unless the thing it is supposed to be on top explodes in media: Right at this very moment, pots upon pots of steaming “pawikan” soup are selling like crazy in ... come on, the DENR knows where.

 Mention the place and the thing that comes to mind is this steaming delicacy. After all these years, I do not think DENR can stay clueless as to what I am talking about. But it looks the other way because National Geographic has not picked up the story yet.

And that is why I believe even before Msgr. Garcia gets to explain, as he must, the bigger explaining has to come from the DENR. If DENR only did its job, Msgr. Garcia would not have acquired the ivory to make his religious images.