Palace hoping businessman Pangilinan won't pull out of PHL

Malacañang on Saturday voiced hopes businessman Manuel Pangilinan will not push through with a reported plan to pull out his business operations from the Philippines, after he was dragged into the controversy involving the backchannel talks of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with China. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Pangilinan should stay in the Philippines as the matter will eventually sort itself out. “We certainly hope this will not be the case, these things sort themselves out (in due) time,” she said on government-run dzRB radio. Pangilinan’s business interests in the Philippines include the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. (PLDT) and its subsidiaries that include Smart Communications, as well as utility firm Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). On Friday, he parted ways with the Ateneo de Manila University over their disagreeing positions on mining and the Reproductive Health bill. He was also dragged by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile into the controversial backchannel talks of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with China to settle a territorial row. “Perhaps these things will sort themselves out in due time. We also understand kasi biglang nasali (because he was suddenly dragged into a mess). There are so many names being mentioned,” Valte said. An earlier report on The Philippine Star also quoted House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II as appealing to Pangilinan not to pull out his corporate operations in the Philippines. The Philippine Star article quoted Pangilinan as saying, “Kung ako lang I’d go back to Hong Kong... ang gulo-gulo nyo." — LBG, GMA News