A retired Catholic archbishop who linked several government officials to jueteng payoffs has received offers of security from the Senate and from the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippine (AMRSP). In a radio interview Thursday, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Teofisto Guingona III said he will ask retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz “one more time” if he wants security. “He never requested security and he did not appear interested in security. We will ask him one more time if he wants security. If he refuses, we can do nothing,” Guingona said in Filipino in an interview on dzBB radio. Cruz Tuesday said he feared for his life, after testifying before the Senate hearing on jueteng payoffs during which he linked government officials to the racket. Among the officials on the bishop's list were Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno and former Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa. Puno and Verzosa have since denied the allegations. On Wednesday, Puno said would tender his courtesy resignation to President Benigno Aquino III when the president returns from his working visit in the United States. The AMRSP said it is waiting for Cruz to request for sanctuary, according to an article on the Union of Catholic Asian News website. AMRSP had provided security to witnesses in high-level controversies in the past, including engineer Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., a witness in the $329.48-million ZTE broadband network deal mess. But AMRSP women's chairperson Sister Mary John Mananzan said she is convinced the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) can provide better security. While Catholic bishops want heads to roll over the scandal, Guingona said the administration's actions will be an “acid test” in its fight against corruption. Guingona belongs to the Liberal Party, in which Aquino is also a member. “This will be an acid test of their resolve, if they want good governance. This is a new government, this is a new ballgame ... Let's give the new administration a chance to show its mettle,” he said. But bishops, frustrated by past probes on the issue, were more blunt, calling for heads to roll from the latest scandal involving payoffs from jueteng. Caloocan Bishop Deogracias I?iguez Jr. said those found guilty of receiving jueteng payola have no right to remain in government service. “The Aquino administration should validate [retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz's claims], then follow the law on such involvement. Heads must roll,” I?iguez said in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas. .
