ILOILO CITY - Governors in Western Visayas assailed the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for saying that the country's leaders are showing "moral bankruptcy" amid the reported distribution of money to officials during a meeting with President Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang last week.

Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, chair of the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas, said the bishops were being unfair to all officials.

"It was such a sweeping statement," Perez said in a telephone interview.

Perez, who was not present during the meeting where money was allegedly handed out to the officials, challenged the prelates to "look at themselves first" before criticizing the officials.

"Let us not be hypocrites. We all have faults, including priests," she said.

Last December, Perez admitted receiving a P50,000 "Christmas cash gift" after officials met with the President in a hotel in Iloilo City. She said she spent the money for her province's programs for indigents.

CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo on Monday issued a statement questioning to the giving of money from P200,000 to P500,000 to mayors and governors who met with the President on Oct. 11.

Several officials including Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio have admitted receiving the money.

"From the moral standpoint, one should not accept money about which questions can be asked because it renders responsibility, accountability, and transparency a dubious subject matter," Lagdameo had said in his statement.

The prelate also said that with the reported giving out of money to officials, "our country is not only suffering from economic bankruptcy but also moral bankruptcy, disappointingly being shown by our leaders. We are very much concerned with our youth who are looking at our leaders for models in honesty, integrity, and transparency."

But Perez said the bishops should "clean up their house first" citing the cases of sexual abuses committed by the clergy and Church officials.

She also pointed out that Church leaders ask for the help of mayors and governors and ask for donations for projects and programs of the Church.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon also said that the CBCP statement was "sweeping."

"What (would the bishops say) if I say that all bishops are immoral?" said Marañon in a separate phone interview. Marañon was also not present in the Malacañang meeting.

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez who attended the meeting but left early said the CBCP statement was "out of context." He did not elaborate.

He said he was not offered any money while he was in the meeting. But he said there was nothing wrong in receiving the money if it is intended for education and for other social services.

"I could have accepted it if I was given money. It was not stolen and we need the money for our province," said Marquez.

Perez also said she would have accepted the money if she was in the meeting.

"I would have accepted it with appreciation and gratitude. I will tell my constituents about the money and spend it for social services and programs of the province," she said.

Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. who was present at the meeting but also left shortly after the President arrived said he would also accept the money because it will help the province.

But Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Sr., who was not present at the meeting, said the money was "intended to get the support of the officials for the administration amid renewed moves to impeach the President."

He said he agreed with the CBCP statement.

"With the way things are happening now, there is moral decay from the top which will eventually eat the whole political system. We need moral regeneration," said Tanco in a telephone interview.

Tanco said the governors were "misled" in going to Malacañang.

"We were not told the reasons why we were invited, only to go there to have lunch with the President," he said.*NPB

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