The media, the bishops and the missing ‘Pajeros’
Need for proactive reporting
The basis of Juico’s exposé was the COA report. The media could have used Juico’s statement on alleged irregularities in PCSO and then asked for whatever documents there are that could support her claim.
As the government focuses on the allegedly corrupt practices of the past administration, in both PCSO and in other government agencies, the media would do well to proactively track reports such as the independent audits of government agencies like the PCSO.
The alleged PCSO funds misuse issue involved various claims and counterclaims matters that should and could have been checked and clarified.
Context
The media in general also failed to explain the constitutional provision on the separation of Church and State that the COA said had been violated. The exceptions were two Inquirer columns by 1986 Constitutional Commission delegate and priest Joaquin Bernas, which said that the bishops’ requests were not covered by the prohibition, the requests being for the provision of social services to church members.
The COA report said the granting of funds for the purchase of the vehicles to the Catholic Church archdioceses was “contrary to Art. VI, Sec. 29 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” which said:
“No public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or of any priest, preacher, minister, other religious teacher, dignitary as such, except when such priest, preacher, minister, or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces, or to any penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium.” (emphasis by COA report)
Bernas explained there is a three-part test to determine the constitutionality for this particular issue:
1.) Does the grant of aid have a primary “secular legislative purpose”?
2.) Will the aid have principal effects which neither advance nor inhibit religion?
3.) Will the aid foster “excessive government entanglement with religion”?
Aside from this, the issue on the constitutionality of the granting of the prelates’ assistance requests was only reported because of Sen. Miriam Santiago’s statement on the matter during the Senate probe.
Both Bernas and Santiago said no constitutional provision had been violated. However, Bernas explained that if indeed the requests adhered to PCSO’s mandate, it was still necessary to look into the suitability of the vehicles bought. The media, however, did not provide much context on this and the vehicles’ suitability for the purposes of the requests.
Interaksyon.com of TV5, however, came up with a report that researched the cost of the vehicles the prelates had bought from the assistance fund and explained what SUVs are and their suitability for certain types of terrain.
[…] The media, bishops, and the missing “Pajeros” by John Antiquerra […]