CBCP exec urges impartial ‘pork’ probe

DAGUPAN CITY – The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines ( CBCP) has urged all those implicated in the pork barrel fund scam to allow impartial investigation to take place.

Lingayen- Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in his pastoral guidance issued yesterday that if those tagged in the scam are in public office, they must not use the power of their positions to obstruct the pursuit of truth.

He said many are bothered by the news that billions of the people’s hard earned money are being squandered by public officials, adding that the CBCP cannot keep silent in the midst of this turmoil.

He quoted Pope Francis, who said that the Church’s pastors “have the right to offer opinions on all that affects people’s lives, since the task of evangelization implies and demands the integral promotion of each human being.”

Villegas also asked the media to be fair in protecting the good name of people.

“Let those who have been implicated be given proper forum and proper coverage to explain their actions,” he said.

“Let the ombudsman do its task to investigate and prosecute those who are at fault. The judiciary is the proper venue to bring out justice. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

Villegas appealed to those who are at fault to come out and admit their wrongdoing rather than make denials and counter-accusations to muddle the issue.

He urged the public not to lose trust in government institutions as he also warned government officials not to abuse the trust given to them.

Clueless

Retired Monsignor Josefino Ramirez yesterday admitted receiving huge amounts of money from businesswoman and alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet LimNapoles, but stressed that these were used for projects of

ivine ercy sia.

n a statement, amire said being the coordinator of ivine ercy sia, he received the donations but he did not now where the funds came from.

efore apoles mother, agdalena uy im, died, she reportedly as ed her children to continue helping the apostolate pro ects of the ivine ercy in the country and in hina through the agdalena uy im oundation.

im was a hinese national and a devotee of the ivine ercy.

he used to help my charities since most especially the apostolate for hina because she said this was the only way she could than the ord for the gift of her atholic faith as a hinese, amire said.

He also clarified that contrary to what was stated in whistleblower enhur uy s record, he only received a P -million etroban chec and not P . million, on ay , .

He said it was donated by apoles to the aritas alve avings and ivelihood with alues ducation redit, a micro-finance program under aritas anila.

s for the P , airplane tic et to urope, amire said this covered his plane fare and those of four hinese priests who represented hina in the orld postolate ongress of ercy in ome.

amire also said he was clueless as to how much money was spent by the apoles family for a birthday party thrown for him where friends and former parishioners were invited.

On the alleged stipends, he said he can only attest that from to , these were given to priests and nuns invited during special events, such as office anniversaries, the funeral mass of im, her death anniversary and other memorable occasions.

he priests, who were friends of the apoles family, and nuns were invited from various provinces and congregations. hey were given stipends for their charities and transportation, he said.