'Pajero bishops' started with Juico interview

PCSO Chair Margie Juico lied to the people and while under oath. In a TV interview, she did say Pajero, expressing dismay that they were given to bishops and sarcastically implying that they took money away from the poor.

"Marami rin namang mahihirap na, na nakapaikot sa kanila, sa mga dioceses nila, 'no? Naghihinayang lang ako sana naman yung pondo ng PCSO na ginamit pambili lang ng Pajero, marami na sanang natulungan dun sa pondong 'yon."

She did not even bother to validate with the bishops involved and hear first their side. Or if the evidence were strong, she should have written to the DOJ to charge them in court. Instead, she chose to go direct to the media and hurl accusations not even based on their own report.

Now it has been revealed: There were no Pajeros or luxury vehicles. The vehicles were not for the personal use of the bishops involved. The donations were accepted in good faith and used for social action and charitable programs and activities. The Senate found nothing unconstitutional in the donations.

The CBCP apologized to the faithful for the pain and sadness the events have brought upon them and for undermining their integrity and prophetic stance vis-a-vis the former administration.

But the damage is done. And the hate campaign, especially from pro-RH groups persists.

To add a personal context: She is the mother of Coun. Joseph Juico, the main proponent of the Quezon City RH Ordinance. Of the Dicoese of Cubao's campaign against the passage of the ordinance, she said: "I have never seen the Church so vicious in its attacks that, in the process, it loses the virtues it stand for."

Those who still say her exposé is made with the best of intentions and without malice, better rethink their position now.

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Postscript

And she continues to lie through her teeth...

In the PCSO statement released after the Senate hearing, Margie Juico said: “By way of moving on and leaving behind the issues that had divided us, I wish to express my regrets if the events in the past few days had cast the bishops in a bad light... Again, there was never, and never will be any intention to shame the bishops. For whatever it may be worth, the media news stories were based on the COA audit report findings.”

So now she blames the media and COA. The media, well, ABS-CBN has not been known not to push any agenda at any time and Inquirer will always have biased news, reckless views. A dinner was even rumored to have taken place between Juico and the Inquirer editorial staff to discuss media strategies on the issue.

In defense of the Commission on Audit, Commissioner Heidi Mendoza pointed out that there was only a very small paragraph in the 2009 COA report concerning donations to the bishops, and no Pajero was mentioned. So who was it who blew up the issue to embarrass the bishops for obviously political reasons?

Juico insists she had no intention to shame the bishops whatsoever. Let's watch the video again...