Aguirre now says no meeting between senators and Mindanao clans before Marawi siege

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II clarified on Wednesday that he did not mean to implicate the Alonto and Lucman political families in the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi City caused by attacks of the extremist Maute group.

"[T]here was no intent on my part to implicate the Alonto and Lucman families in the crisis Marawi City is currently facing. Both families have never been and shall never be a part of any plot to destroy or cause harm to anybody or any property," Aguirre said in a statement.

He also denied reports that there was a meeting between the two families and some opposition personalities prior to the Marawi seige on May 23.

"The said meeting never took place and no member of both families ever met with Senator [Antonio] Trillanes, Congressman [Gary] Alejano and [former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs] Ronald Llamas," Aguirre said.

Aguirre claimed he was misquoted by the media.

"What I said was that there were reports that some opposition senators and leaders went to Marawi to recruit local politicians and warlords to destabilize the Duterte administration," Aguirre said.

"I never said that they were successful in recruiting any local politicians and warlords. To the Alonto and Lucman families, my sincere apologies for any confusion about  this issue," he added.

Audio and video recordings of the press briefing on Wednesday morning show that Aguirre mentioned that Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, Trillanes, Alejano and Llamas met with "some clans" in Marawi on May 2 at the Lake View Resort Hotel.

"Present were Senator Aquino, Ronald Llamas, Alejano, Trillanes and some clans doon sa Marawi. Mga Moro family. So hindi ko malaman why after they went there, nagkagulo na after about two weeks," Aguirre said.

Asked to clarify his statement, Aguirre said: "They met with the people there. Basta ang sinabi sa akin, they met with several families there, kasama mga Lucman, kasama family ng Alonto."

"But I don't want to connect it [the meeting to Marawi siege] unless there's evidence dun sa money taken [or] seized," Aguirre said, referring to the P79 million in cash and checks recovered by the military from a stronghold of the Maute group in Marawi City.

Trillanes, Aquino and Alejano have already denied that such a meeting occurred.

Aquino even said Aguirre fell victim to "fake news" while Alejano called the Cabinet official "peddler of lies and prosecutor of the people." —NB/BM, GMA News