Retired Cotabato archbishop denies soliciting money for hospital bills

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Retired Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo on Friday denied soliciting money for his hospital bills via text messages.

Quevedo warned residents in Central Mindanao not to donate any amount to the sender of the text messages.

“It’s apparently a scam,” said Quevedo, who belong to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation whose pontifical base is in Vatican City in Rome.

The text messages that appeared as if sent by Quevedo stated that he needs money to pay for his hospital bills.

Quevedo has not been confined in any hospital since his retirement more than a year ago from pastoral duties as archbishop of the Diocese of Cotabato covering Cotabato City and parts of the adjoining Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces.