BY GERARD NAVAL

THE Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights yesterday urged the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to take a more active role in combating poverty by denouncing corruption in government.

"The Catholic Church should not wash its hands because it has a role to play in the country," said Fr. Joe Dizon, a convenor of the group that is composed of Church leaders, human rights defenders and civil libertarians.

"Now more than ever, the Church has to denounce the corruption in government which is really in a condemnable state," he added.

Dizon said that by publicly condemning corruption in government, the Church could hopefully knock some sense into officials on the real status of 80 million Filipinos.

Dizon, nonetheless, acknowledged Church efforts to help alleviate poverty through projects like the Pondo ng Pinoy of the archdiocese of Manila.

A survey of the Social Weather Stations last September showed 52 percent or about 9 million Filipinos rate themselves as poor and 43 percent or about 7.5 million are food-poor.

The Palace has downplayed the survey findings, saying 52 percent was "one of the lowest self-rated poverty thresholds of this generation and it is happening under the Arroyo administration."

Dizon said in the absence of a call from the CBCP, President Arroyo should face issues on alleged irregularities in her government, like the bribery or "cash gifts" to local officials to block an impeachment move against her and payoffs in contracts entered into by government, including the now cancelled national broadband deal.

Dizon said the differing claims of Palace allies as to the source of the cash gift distributed to local officials in Malacañang last October 11 look more like a cover-up.

"Nobody could clear the issue better than the President herself because the more they (Arroyo allies) explain, the more a cover-up becomes obvious," he said.

Last Tuesday, House deputy speaker Amelita Villarosa said the money came from Kampi, a party founded by Arroyo.

But according to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Kampi chairman, he and Arroyo knew nothing about the doles.

Malacañang has yet to convince the country it was not the source of the cash gifts.

The League of Governors has also said it was the source of the cash gifts ranging from P200,000 to P500,000.

The gift giving coincided with the filing of a weak impeachment complaint against President Arroyo at the House.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said President Arroyo should start the clean-up right in her own backyard.

"I am tempted to give this piece of unsolicited advice: Start with kotong right inside Malacañang or you will get nowhere in this new effort," said Lacson, who made stopping extortion a priority when he headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001.

Arroyo this week created a task force against "kotong" cops and colorum vehicles to address complaints from the transport sector about mulcting policemen and public vehicles operating without franchise. Drivers have complained that extortion reduces their earnings.

Lacson said while the President "hit the nail right on the head" with the drive against extortion and colorum vehicles, such efforts will not go beyond lip service if she does not set the example. – With Dennis Gadil