It's okay to take gambling or dirty money as long as you "use it for the poor"?

The hypocritical Church is against all forms of gambling raw, but they have no problems accepting money from gambling. Read this article from De Quiros, and here's the key quote:

The notion that it is all right for an archbishop to accept gambling money because he is desperate to give to the poor makes about as much sense as the notion that it is all right for presidential candidate to cheat in elections because she is desperate to serve the people. The premise voids the conclusion.

Read the whole article.

One of the main reasons the CBCP wanted Erap out in 2000 was because of Jueteng, but these hypocritical Bishops were still accepting Jueteng money as late as Jan 2005.

Jueteng ‘benefits’ Church

Gambling lords among donors, says CBCP exec

By Maricel V. Cruz, Reporter

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) disclosed on Tuesday that the Church has been accepting “donations” from big-time gambling lords.

Jo Imbong, CBCP lawyer, admitted at the House inquiry that the Church accepts money from whatever source, “whether lawful or illicit.”

The House Committee on Games and Amusement, chaired by Rep. Mayo Almario of Davao Oriental, on Tuesday resumed deliberations on proposed measures to legalize jueteng.

Imbong’s disclosure came after the committee asked the CBCP for its position on the measures.

He said the influential group opposes moves to legalize jueteng and other forms of gambling, which the Church considers unconstitutional.

“The Constitution provides that Congress should look after the welfare of everyone not only of the minority,” alluding to the bill’s advocates. “The Robin Hood principle is not allowed in our society, because we [believe] jueteng is immoral.”

Imbong challenged government officials to resign if they cannot stop illegal gambling. “Should Congress legislate this proposal and President Arroyo signs it into law, that is an impeachable offense, that is betrayal of public trust.”

Neophyte administration Rep. Maria Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales recalled what the former archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, had said in 2000 that “he’s willing to accept money even from Satan as long as it could help his flock.”

If that so, Magsaysay said, then the CBCP should study its position on the proposal to make jueteng legal.

Pressed by Magsaysay, Imbong said that from her personal knowledge, big-time gambling lords “help in civic projects” of the Catholic Church by giving donations.

“We acknowledge the source of a donation from whatever source, whether lawful or illicit. I think we should draw a distinction between the source and the motive of the donation. When the person gives a gift, we should respect his intention of sharing, whether he’s a jueteng lord, a gambler or a Mafioso,” Imbong told the committee. “If we say that accepting it is not good, because it came from a gambler, we are judging the donor. Any person is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.”

Imbong’s explanation annoyed Magsaysay and other members of the committee. “Isn’t that pure hypocrisy on the part of the Church that you will accept something from an illegal or immoral source and then you just accept it, anyway they’re doing civic work?” Magsaysay asked. “You’re supposed to be the bastion of morality and yet you accept something from a polluted source and say that’s ok.”

Rep. Bienvenido Abante of Manila, a pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church, agreed with Magsaysay, stressing that the issue is a “vital concern.”

“I would disagree with your statement. Because being a bishop of our denomination there are certain disciplines in our Church that the pastors should judge. If you are a gambler you will be expelled from membership. We will not accept any offerings of a gambler in our Church. Why? Because it is plain hypocrisy,” Abante said.

And of course, Archbishop Oscar Cruz slammed the CBCP for accepting Jueteng money. Maybe that's why the CBCP have no interest in supporting ArchBishop Cruz's anti-jueteng drive?

Fr. Robert Reyes comments:

An activist priest said the Church's desire to help the poor should not lead it to use "dirty" money from gambling so that it would not be thought of as promoting such activities.

"The Church should learn to look for funds that are clean," Fr. Robert Reyes said

Reyes said he was very disturbed by Capalla's statement that there was nothing wrong with receiving donations from Pagcor because these go to projects benefiting the poor.

Well, guess what Fr. Reyes, ito mismo ang posisyon ng yumaong si Cardinal Sin:

"If Satan would appear to me and give me money, I will accept the money and spend it all for the poor. The devil remains to be my enemy but I will use his resources to feed the poor."

Ito naman ang posisyon ng simbahan, if you didn't get the memo, Fr. Reyes:

In its press statement on the matter, the Church said that in its long history, it has received dirty money "from thieves and criminals as a way of restitution", claiming that "restitution is an accepted moral practice" and that restitution "does not make something wrong correct."

You know what, reading all this reminded me of the movie "El Crimen de Padre Amaro". There's a priest there who also laundered dirty money for the drug lords. But it's all for a good cause, of course. ;)

And you have to wonder why any bishop would hang out with a self-confessed juetenglord like chavit singson.

Anyways, may tanong ako:

1) Pwede rin bang tumanggap ang simbahan ng pera sa mga kidnappers, drug lords, smugglers at iba pang kriminal groups?

2) Pwede rin bang gamitin ng public officials ang dahilan na "for the poor" ang tinatanggap nilang bribe sa juetenglords dahil kulang yung revenues na nakukuha nila sa mga taxpayers?

3) Is it possible na kaya ayaw tulungan ng CBCP si Archbishop Oscar Cruz sa laban niya vs. Jueteng and corruption in the Arroyo administration dahil nabili na sila ng Jueteng lords at PAGCOR?

UPDATE: I agree with Manong Ernie, we need DETAILS.

For the poor. Three senior archbishops have now admitted they did receive millions from Pagcor but put forward the excuse that the money went to the poor.

Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao, CBCP president during the last four years, even went as far as saying: "The principle of morality does not apply in the situation, my conscience is clear."

The three archbishops must now come forward with details of how much they have received and how the money went to the poor. Did they give it in cash, or in bags of food and goods? Did they spend any of it for housing the poor or for building a social action center? Did they use some of the funds for salaries or allowances of their social workers, or for gasoline of their vehicles? How much was spent for electric or water bills of their archdioceses? How much was spent for Rosario, Fe and Caridad?

No, excellencies, just saying the Pagcor money went to the poor is not enough. The devil is in the details.

Beside the lump sum grants of P500,000 - P1 million, Pagcor sources say more than P3 million went to Christmas gifts for bishops and priests. Some have denied this. Again, the CBCP must get an accounting from its members to determine how much was actually received. Failing to do so would make them accessories to the graft and corruption in Pagcor hidden under the book entry donations and Christmas gifts for the religious sector.

Oh, yes, the bishops took a vow of poverty, so they are "poor." In that context, they are not lying, cheating or stealing. The money went to the poor.