Bishop Narciso Abellana of Romblon in the central Philippines has defended the acceptance of donations for a parish church from individuals later linked to the national flood control corruption scandal.

The prelate said the contributions were made “before the brouhaha” and within the Diocese’s established fundraising processes.

His statement followed mounting questions from a local councilor and calls from lay leaders for stronger ethical safeguards in Church fundraising.

In a detailed statement issued on Oct. 5, Bishop Abellana said the construction of the Our Lady of Salvation Parish Church in Bachawan village in San Agustin town began before allegations of fund misuse surfaced in national investigations.

“The Parish of Our Lady of Salvation (Nuestra Señora de Salvacion) is the parish to where the [Romblon Representative] Hon. Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona belongs,” the bishop wrote. 

“As his parish, the construction of the Nuestra Señora de Salvacion church became his concern, and that should not be questioned or taken against him, being a parishioner,” he added. 

The prelate explained that Congressman Madrona, who chairs the Diocese’s Ways and Means Committee, raised funds for the church’s construction and that the Madrona family donated the property on which it stands.

“That the names of the Discaya’s, Zaldy Co, and company are on the marker of the parish is our sign of gratitude to them; they had given to the fundraising of the parish for the construction of the parish church, and because of their donation, the beautiful church now stands,” he said. “All this happened before the brouhaha of the flood control and ghost projects issue.”

The Discayas — Pacifico “Curlee” and Sarah Discaya — are government contractors who are being probed in connection with alleged multi-million peso corruption in flood control projects. Their joint affidavit names 17 House representatives, including Madrona and former Congressman Zaldy Co, as recipients of extorted funds. 

Abellana added that a Parish Finance Committee oversaw the flow of funds and that records remain available. He said the diocese was not silent on issues of corruption, emphasizing that its Sangguniang Layko had already issued a public statement.

“It is not correct, after all, to say that the Diocese was silent, and its silence was deafening,” he said.

Local official urges diocese to match defense with moral clarity on corruption

Romblon Councilor Lyndon Molino, who first raised the matter publicly, said the diocese’s explanations “oversimplify” the ethical issues involved and leave several questions insufficiently answered.

In a letter dated September 17 addressed to Bishop Abellana, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines incoming president Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, Molino asked whether the diocese had authorized Congressman Madrona to solicit donations on its behalf, whether receipts were issued, and whether funds passed directly through diocesan accounts or intermediaries.

He reiterated these concerns in an October 6 statement, saying, “It is disappointing that the Diocese is oversimplifying this issue, especially when millions of Filipinos are going hungry and suffering because of corruption.”

“We are hearing more defenses from the Diocese of Romblon than a clear stance against corruption,” Molino added.

He said his inquiry “was not meant to destroy anyone, but to defend the people’s trust in civil and religious institutions,” stressing that “only truth and clarity can put an end to doubt.”

The diocese, in its statement, said Madrona was indeed authorized as chairman of the diocesan Ways and Means Committee, that a Parish Finance Committee handled the “ingress and egress of funds,” and that financial statements remain with the parish.

Lay leaders urge diocesan reform

In a separate reflection titled “Uncasting the First Flood-Stone,” Rodne Galicha, head of national faith-based group Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, called for reforms to strengthen oversight and ensure transparency in Church fundraising.

“Corruption, theft, and exploitation violate the seventh commandment,” Galicha wrote. “Accepting donations sourced from corruption, unjust contracts, or environmentally destructive practices contradicts basic Catholic principles and social teachings.”

He proposed the creation of an ethics and integrity committee, to be composed of clergy, religious, and lay experts in law, finance, ethics, and ecology. The body, he said, should vet major donations and apply Catholic social teaching to decision-making.

Other recommendations included prohibiting politicians from leading fundraising committees, instituting collegial discernment for major financial decisions, conducting regular audits, and holding formation sessions on Catholic social teaching and stewardship.

Galicha noted that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is expected to finalize a non-acceptance policy on questionable donations during its 2026 plenary assembly, a move “prudently and carefully processed and discerned since 2022.”

“We cannot separate faith from justice,” he said. “There may be presumption of regularity but due diligence is also important… Discernment can never be selective.”

CBCP urges transparency in flood control probe

The Romblon debate unfolded as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines issued a national statement urging government officials to uphold the integrity of ongoing investigations into the flood control corruption scandal.

Signed by CBCP president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, the Oct. 6 statement warned that “any move to change Senate leadership or redirect investigations now would only heighten public suspicion of a cover-up.”

It called on the Independent Commission on Infrastructure “to investigate fully and freely, without political interference,” and appealed for “truth and transparency” to rebuild public trust.

While the bishops’ appeal was directed at public officials, its message echoed across dioceses now confronting their own questions of moral consistency and integrity.

The Diocese of Romblon maintains that all fundraising for the Bachawan parish was done in good faith, under parish oversight, and before any of the donors were publicly implicated in corruption allegations.

Yet as public scrutiny intensifies, the calls for transparency and ethical reform suggest a growing demand within the Church for moral clarity — not only in preaching against corruption but also in living out its call to accountability and justice.