By GENALYN D. KABILING
MANILA, Philippines --- There is no truth to reports that President Benigno S. Aquino III was asked by Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) leaders not to drag them into the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, Malacañang said Tuesday.
No less than the President branded the report as “kuryente” or bum steer as he asserted that his relations with the religious group remains “warm,” according to his deputy spokeswoman Abigail Valte.
Valte said the President sent a text message to the Palace spokesperson denying the report on the supposed tirade against him by the INC.
“That part of the conversation never happened. The story was a bum steer,” Valte said in a press conference at the Palace, reacting to the report that Aquino was asked by INC to leave them out of the impeachment process. “We spoke to the President and he narrated what had happened. And yes, it never took place,” she added.
Valte insisted there was “nothing amiss” during the President’s private meeting with INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo at the church’s central office in Quezon City last Monday. On the eve of the testimony of Corona at his impeachment trial, Aquino had sought to touch base with the INC and explain why the impeachment trial against Corona was necessary.
“The sense that I got from the President is that their meeting turned out okay. Nothing untoward was mentioned. It was okay,” Valte said.
Despite the unflattering version of the President’s meeting with the INC reported in the press, the Palace has no plans to ask the religious group to make a statement to clarify what actually transpired.
“The report did not come from them. It’s a little bit unfair to ask them to clarify something that did not come from them in the first place,” Valte said. “Maybe that should be clarified but I don’t know how to go about that. From our end, we’ve already spoken our piece. We’ve already disputed the report,” she added.
Asked if the public should just take the word of the Palace on what happened in the meeting between the President and Manalo, Valte said: “As the word of somebody who puts his face to his statements as against a source who remains anonymous.”
Valte, however, admitted that they did not ask the President about the INC feedback during the meeting last Monday. “I did not ask what the reaction was. But again, my general sense was the meeting was okay. The relationship was warm. There are no indicators to the contrary.”
When asked if the Palace was disappointed such version of the President’s meeting with the INC came out, Valte said: “In the time that reports coming out about a certain personality booking a flight to a non-extradition country, there are lots of information. Maybe we are used to it. It’s a little usual. That’s up to us to be a little bit more discerning about the information that we receive.”
Valte also maintained that they don’t believe in rumors that the INC was engaged in lobbying for the acquittal of Corona. She added that they prefer to be “careful” before believing unverified reports or text messages concerning the trial of Corona.
MANILA, Philippines --- There is no truth to reports that President Benigno S. Aquino III was asked by Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) leaders not to drag them into the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, Malacañang said Tuesday.
No less than the President branded the report as “kuryente” or bum steer as he asserted that his relations with the religious group remains “warm,” according to his deputy spokeswoman Abigail Valte.
Valte said the President sent a text message to the Palace spokesperson denying the report on the supposed tirade against him by the INC.
“That part of the conversation never happened. The story was a bum steer,” Valte said in a press conference at the Palace, reacting to the report that Aquino was asked by INC to leave them out of the impeachment process. “We spoke to the President and he narrated what had happened. And yes, it never took place,” she added.
Valte insisted there was “nothing amiss” during the President’s private meeting with INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo at the church’s central office in Quezon City last Monday. On the eve of the testimony of Corona at his impeachment trial, Aquino had sought to touch base with the INC and explain why the impeachment trial against Corona was necessary.
“The sense that I got from the President is that their meeting turned out okay. Nothing untoward was mentioned. It was okay,” Valte said.
Despite the unflattering version of the President’s meeting with the INC reported in the press, the Palace has no plans to ask the religious group to make a statement to clarify what actually transpired.
“The report did not come from them. It’s a little bit unfair to ask them to clarify something that did not come from them in the first place,” Valte said. “Maybe that should be clarified but I don’t know how to go about that. From our end, we’ve already spoken our piece. We’ve already disputed the report,” she added.
Asked if the public should just take the word of the Palace on what happened in the meeting between the President and Manalo, Valte said: “As the word of somebody who puts his face to his statements as against a source who remains anonymous.”
Valte, however, admitted that they did not ask the President about the INC feedback during the meeting last Monday. “I did not ask what the reaction was. But again, my general sense was the meeting was okay. The relationship was warm. There are no indicators to the contrary.”
When asked if the Palace was disappointed such version of the President’s meeting with the INC came out, Valte said: “In the time that reports coming out about a certain personality booking a flight to a non-extradition country, there are lots of information. Maybe we are used to it. It’s a little usual. That’s up to us to be a little bit more discerning about the information that we receive.”
Valte also maintained that they don’t believe in rumors that the INC was engaged in lobbying for the acquittal of Corona. She added that they prefer to be “careful” before believing unverified reports or text messages concerning the trial of Corona.
