Bishops can be criminals, too

If there’s anything we’ve learned from this recent Pajero scandal, it’s that bishops are just ordinary people — nothing more, nothing less. There’s no holy force field protecting these religious men from making mistakes and, sometimes, even breaking the law.

But some people think that religious leaders are somehow special. One of them is Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile:

“We will give them the benefit of the doubt…” Enrile said it would be rash to accuse the bishops of wrongdoing, saying they’re not politicians or businessmen.

So if a politician or businessman were accused of accepting bribes, it would not be rash to accuse them?

And it gets worse. Not only does Enrile think bishops are inherently more moral, he believes that thinking otherwise puts society at risk:

“I don’t think that we should be cynical and suspicious about the conduct of religious people. Let us try to be objective about it and preserve our institutions. Otherwise, we will break up as a society.”

Although he asks for objectivity, I think what he wants is the opposite. Objectivity requires that we follow where the investigation leads regardless of who’s being investigated. Enrile’s statements imply that he wants the investigators to be careful about the implications of investigating bishops and potentially finding them guilty.

But it’s this special standing that allows bishops to continue covering up their crimes. If Enrile really wants to “be objective about it,” “preserve our institutions,” ” and keep society together,” the Senate Blue Ribbon committee needs to do its job without bias — even if it means putting some bishops behind bars.

3 comments

  1. last part of my previous comment:

    And preserving our (I think P. Enrile means religious) institutions is mandatory to avoid a breakup of society ?? Ohhhh …. would it really be so horrible when the R of P would be a save secular country like Central or Northern Europe states (without strong religious influence), with proper : education, health care, social welfare, pensions, freedom, peace and prosperity ? This would be more the horror scenario of the Churches as they are flourishing only inside a dysfunctional society.

  2. About the remark of Ponce Enrile, former administrator of the martial law under dictator Marcos who just jumped the sinking (Marcos) ship in the last minute to remain in power until now (as senate president).

    Well, the benefit of a doubt should be applied to anyone until final verdict, but why are some parts of society (like politicians and business men) exempted from that benefit of a doubt ??

    And we should “ try to be objective about it” (the PCSO distribution of funds) – indeed , but objectivity means that everyone is treated the same from the law – so also religious managers not different from business managers or politicians, and some religious sect not preferred over other sects just because they count a more numerous flock or are more vocal than others – ergo OBJECTIVE !!

  3. I think it is more like a discussion about “the meddling CBCP for RH-Bill ” and the separation of church and state we had some month ago : only the R of P government agencies have to follow the constitution and external lobby groups can meddle and demand all they like.

    So in this case here : bishops can demand for huge birthday gifts and donations all they like, and it’s the government agency (here the PCSO) who have to follow the constitution and therefore do not support any religious sect with public funds for religious purposes.

    However the bishops have to use all PCSO donations for the purpose of charity and not for missionary and proselytizing work, so any criminal investigation is not for bribery but would be for misuse of charity funds for non-charity purposes.

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