Binawi ni Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ang mga nauna niyang pahayag na nagtungo si Senador Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV at iba pang miyembro ng oposisyon sa Marawi City, Lanao del Sur at nakipagkita sa ilang angkan doon ilang linggo bago ang pag-atake ng teroristang Maute Group.
“Governor Soraya Alonto Adiong invited Senator Bam Aquino to be their guest of honor during the launching of the Lanao del Sur Negosyo Center last May 19, 2017 in Marawi City as he is the author of the GoNegosyo Law,” pahayag ni Aguirre.
“I was unfortunately misquoted by some reporters as having said so,” dugtong niya.
Gayunman sa transcript ng kanyang panayam lumabas na sinabi ni Aguirre na “they had a meeting at Lake View Resort hotel on May 2” at kasama ni Aquino sina dating presidential adviser for political affairs Ronald Llamas, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at ilang angkan sa Marawi.
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“To the Alonto and Lucman families, my sincere apologies for any confusion about this issue,” ani Aguirre sa kanyang huling pahayag,
“For the record, I did not say there was a meeting between the two families and some lawmakers prior to the Marawi seige. The said meeting never took place and no member of both families ever met with Senator Trillanes, Congressman Alejano and Ronald Llamas,” sabi pa niya.
Naniniwala si Sen. Aquino na pulitika ang nasa likod ng pag-ugnay ni Aguirre sa kanya at mga kasamahan sa oposisyon sa kaguluhan sa Marawi City.
Aniya, tumawag sa kanya si Aguirre nitong Miyerkules ng gabi at humingi ng paumanhin, at nangako ng “public apology”.
“Kagabi po nag-usap kami ni Secretary Aguirre. He already apologized. He told me in not so many words that with all the reports na pumasok po sa kanya, he got confused. Na confused daw po siya sa mga reports na pumasok sa kanya” ani Aquino.
Sinabi naman ni Llamas na hindi na niya ito papatulan.
Buwelta naman ni Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon na dapat mag-isip muna si Aguirre bago magbitaw ng mga walang basehang akusasyon. “How many times has the Justice Secretary done this? It is becoming a vicious habit,” ani Drilon
Kaugnay ng mga kalituhang ito, nilinaw ng Malacañang kahapon na walang kinalaman ang oposisyon sa kaguluhan sa Marawi City.
“These matters, unless really fully vetted, will remain speculation as far as we’re concerned. But we go by with what the President has said that the troubles are directly due to the ISIS [Islamic State],” pahayag ni Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella sa Mindanao Hour press briefing sa Davao City.
Sinabi rin ni Abella na buo pa rin ang tiwala ng Pangulo kay Aguirre.
“He (Aguirre) has the full trust of the President. I’m sure he is fully aware of what he needs to do and how to address the matter,” ani Abella. (JEFFREY G. DAMICOG, BETH CAMIA, LEONEL M. ABASOLA at ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS)
