Aquino, Trillanes at Senate on day of Marawi meeting alleged by Aguirre

Official record shows that Senators Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Antonio Trillanes IV were at the Senate on the date of their supposed meeting in Marawi City alleged by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

Trillanes' office released part of the summary of proceedings on May 2 showing the two senators voting on a pair of measures, including Senate Bill No. 14 entitled "AN ACT ADJUSTING THE AMOUNT INVOLVED, VALUE OF PROPERTY OR DAMAGE ON WHICH A PENALTY IS BASED, AND THE FINES UNDER ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE."

Aguirre had alleged that Aquino and Trillanes attended a meeting on that day in Marawi City along with Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas and local leaders that could have “sparked the terroristic acts in Marawi."

"Hindi ko malaman why after they went there nagkagulo na after two weeks. They met with the people there, they met with several families there,” Aguirre said.

Aquino called Aguirre's claim "fake news," noting he went to Marawi on May 19 to launch the first Negosyo Center in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which even Trade Secretary Mon Lopez has already clarified.

“I had with me an AFP escort throughout my trip, which can easily be verified through the AFP. Vice Gov. [Mamintal] Adiong, Gen. [Rolando] Bautista and Gen. [Nixon] Fortes were also with me during the event,” Aquino added.

“These are easily verifiable for anyone who cares to find the truth. It would be prudent for Sec. Aguirre to clarify dates, seek evidence and request for official statements from legitimate government agencies before he makes yet another false accusation,” the senator said.

Trillanes, too, denied Aguirre's accusation. "For the record, I am not involved in any way with the Maute group or the Marawi incident. [Defense] Sec. [Delfin] Lorenzana said so himself,” he said.

“I also did not have any meeting in Marawi in May 2 since I haven't visited Marawi for the past three years. But don't take my word for it, simply check the Senate records for May 2,” he said.

Trillanes said Aguirre’s allegation speaks of his “incompetence” and “stupidity.”

“The incompetence of Aguirre is only matched by his stupidity. I would advise him to avoid getting his intel from Facebook conspiracy theorists,” the senator said. —with Virgil Lopez and Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/JST, GMA News