President’s relations with Iglesia ‘good’
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd on Wednesday said that he maintains good relations with the influential religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo (Inc-church of Christ), which was lately dragged in a controversy in connection with retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas being the lead counsel of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“I think it’s okay. I think we have good relations. We’re talking with each other,” Mr. Aquino told reporters during a chance interview at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Philippine Information Agency in Quezon City.
The President denied sending an emissary to talk to Cuevas and convince the lawyer to withdraw as Corona’s lead counsel in the Chief Justice’s impeachment trial.
“I didn’t send anybody to talk to Justice Cuevas. Masyadong, parang… Sa totoo lang, parang not worthy of any comment ‘yung isyung ‘yan [It’s too much, like… In truth, the issue is not worthy of any comment],” he said.
The President was asked if it was true that the Iglesia ni Cristo lobbied for the retention of then National Buresu of Investigation chief Magtanggol Gatdula, who was
sacked after he was implicated in the kidnapping and extortion of an undocumented Japanese woman.
“There’s no connection between the two. Gatdula’s case will be driven by the evidence. We have finished the investigation by the DOJ [Department of Justice]. It goes now to a formal proceeding called the preliminary investigation. At which point, he can defend himself. In my case, I have lost my trust and confidence in the person,” he said.
The Manila Times ran an exclusive story that pointed to Mr. Aquino’s chief political adviser, Ronald Llamas, as the emissary to Cuevas.
Llamas denied that he was the emissary.
Another newspaper reported that Cuevas admitted that Malacanang sent an emissary to lure him to resign from Corona’s defensel team in exchange for the retention of Gatdula as head of the investigation bureau.
Cuevas also denied the story, saying that he was misquoted.
Also on Wednesday, the President said that he was not inclined to dismiss Llamas from his Cabinet because the political adviser still enjoys his trust and confidence.
“He still performs the role that he was brought into the Cabinet for. So therefore he does, he does enjoy the trust. It is not connected with his core function but, having said that, there are still [sanctions] that should be levied,” he added.
Mr. Aquino said that he has formed a committee that is now investigating Llamas for having been caught on camera buying pirated DVDS.
“I understand that the committee that I tasked, the group that I tasked to investigate it, will be submitting their recommendations by Friday, two days from now,” he added.