The Office of the President (OP) at Malacañang Palace should sever its umbilical cord to the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Yes, the OP should end its symbiotic relationship with the RCC, especially the Archdiocese of Manila (AoM) and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Why? The RCC, as represented by the AoM and some of CBCP’s prelates, is part of the problems of the country. Instead of becoming part of the solution for the nation’s socioeconomic ailments, the RCC chose to join The Imperial Manila (TIM).

If TIM is the Philippine equivalent of America’s Uncle Sam, the RCC is a granduncle of Uncle TIM. When the American colonizers of the Philippines returned the country’s political independence on July 4, 1946, the actual powers were actually vested in TIM. The RCC has not only been part and parcel of TIM but its prelates have also been active in the business of influence peddling with Malacañang Palace’s OP.

So people thought that then AoM kingpin Jaime Cardinal Sin was one of President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ biggest opponents? Remember the VHS tapes found by the mob that ransacked Malacañang Palace after President Marcos and his family went into exile during the EDSA revolt in February 1986? Several tapes showed Cardinal Sin partying at Malacañang Palace. One tape showed the cardinal tooting a horn at a New Year’s bash hosted by President and Mrs. Marcos.

The RCC has a habit of cooperating with the powers that be and abandoning the Malacañang Palace tenant when it thinks that the President’s reign is about to end. What happened to Mr. Marcos happened also to President Joseph Estrada. Actually the AoM’s prelates were celebrating masses at Malacañang Palace in spite of knowing that Mr. Estrada had a harem of mistresses and concubines. Because Mr. Estrada had the good habit of donating huge sums to the RCC institutions of learning and the Catholic Charities. The RCC hierarchy of course never considered that Mr. Estrada’s funds were allegedly the equivalent of blood money, if not gambling payola.

In exchange for the RCC’s policy of “Live and Let Live,” top national government officials allowed it and even other Christian denominations to behave as if they were above the law. At least from complying with the Bureau of Customs regulations. The government officials allowed influential churches the tax-free importation of commodities and luxury vehicles. The supposed separation of church and state became the reason for allowing religious organizations to do away with paying customs duties, real-estate taxes (on properties not used for religious purposes) and other fees.

The AoM owned the Monte de Piedad Savings Bank (MdPSB). It failed a few years ago. Government officials just allowed the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) to pay off the MdPSB depositors who lost their savings accounts. The Philippine banking regulators did not investigate the corruption charges that led to the bank’s failure. The AoM prelates and priests were the bank’s top corporate officers. The PDIC paid in excess of three-billion pesos. It was okay to do so, pursuant to the “modus vivendi” racket between politicians and the RCC.

I realized in 1992 how the RCC protected Uncle TIM.

In August of 1992 Sorsogon Bishop Jesus Y. Varela visited Southern California. The Sorsogon Province Association-USA (SPAUSA) tendered a reception for him in Long Beach. As one of the SPAUSA’s three cofounders, I was one of the hosts. After the mass, I approached Bishop Varela. I told him that I was leading a fight against President Corazon Aquino’s decision to sell 64% of Philippine Airlines’ equity to a consortium headed by four of her Cojuangco nephews. I handed to Bishop Varela two Manila envelopes that contained identical copies of “The PAL Scandal” dossier. The packages contained also a letter of appeal to the CBCP through its president, Bishop Carmelo Morelos. He hails also from Sorsogon. I was confident that Bishop Morelos, being a family friend, would listen to me and help our crusade.

Tomorrow, we shall discuss in this column what the CBCP did to my letter of appeal for support in getting back the PAL for the Filipino people.