Malacañang confirms Aquino's meeting with leader
of Iglesia ni Cristo
Malacanang confirmed President Benigno S. Aquino
III’s meeting with the highest leader of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to discuss the
various developmental programs of the government and to “touch base” with the
group who has been supporting him since his days in the Senate.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday,
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the President indeed met
with INC Executive Minister Eduardo “Ka Eduardo” Manalo as he allayed doubts
from some groups that the meeting was primarily focused on the alleged lobbying
of the INC for the impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona’s acquittal by the
Senate Impeachment Court.
The meeting, Lacierda added, took place at 9
a.m., Monday at the INC Central Office along Commonwealth Avenue in Diliman,
Quezon City. He stressed that the meeting was scheduled since before the Holy
Week but both of the two leaders’ daily schedule were fully occupied.
“Today, we confirm that the President met with
Ka Eduardo of the Iglesia ni Cristo this morning. Their meeting has been
previously scheduled, in fact before holy week pa… there was already a planned
meeting with Ka Eduardo, unfortunately the schedule of the President and the
schedule of Ka Eduardo could not jive then. It was only today that they were able
to find a common schedule,” Lacierda said.
“The purpose of the President’s meeting was to
touch base with Ka Eduardo and the Iglesia ni Cristo. As you know the Iglesia
ni Cristo supported the President during his Senatorial campaign and also
during his Presidential campaign… yes, the impeachment issue was discussed
because it is one of the burning issues of the day. The President explained to
Ka Eduardo the reasons for the (Chief Justice Corona) impeachment, that this is
part of his reform agenda...,” he said.
The Presidential Spokeman added that among the
topics discussed were the developmental programs of the Aquino administration.
“Hindi lamang po ang impeachment ang
pinag-usapan, napag-usapan din ang mga ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan… na mention
din po ni Pangulong Aquino ang TESDA, kung ano ang ginagawang projects ng
TESDA,” said Lacierda.
Lacierda, further stressed that the said meeting
had nothing to do with the “INC lobbying” issue that came out in the papers
over the weekend.
“This has nothing to do with the news about the
lobbying of the INC, again let me emphasize this has been previously scheduled…
we don’t believe that there is an INC lobby for the chief justice,” Lacierda
noted.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on Saturday
that the INC officials had been seeing senators to lobby for the acquittal of
impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.
In its report, a major broadsheet alleged that
the INC officials had met discreetly with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada during the month-long Lenten
break of Congress to plead the case of Corona, whom INC followers supported. (PCOO)
Malacañang says no more rotating blackouts in
Mindanao
The Aquino administration said that there are no
more rotating blackouts in Mindanao following the repair and rehabilitation of
the Polangui hydro-power plant, a Palace official said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said
during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday that the government
has already completed the repair and rehabilitation of Polangui power plant to
ease Mindanao’s power woes.
While the situation in Mindanao has improved,
Lacierda said the Aquino government continues to pursue its plan to rehabilitate
other power plants to ensure that the region has sufficient energy sources.
At present, Lacierda said the government is
looking for other energy sources, including the Iligan Diesel Power Plant. He
emphasized the need to rehabilitate the Iligan Diesel Power Plant that could
produce 100 megawatts in eight months.
The government also plans to resort to renewable
energy as part of the Aquino government’s long-term plan to address the energy
problem in the country particularly in Mindanao. (PCOO)
