Unreliable.

 

This was how the Vatican on Wednesday described claims of an assassination attempt against Pope Francis during his recent visit to the Philippines.

 

"In the last few days there's been talk of this hypothesis of an assassination attempt during the trip to the Philippines. (Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio) Cardinal Tagle, who has his good sources, said the information is unreliable," Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said, according to a report by Catholic News Agency.

 

Lombardi said he agreed with Tagle, who's close to the Pope.

Top military and police officials have adverted to raw information that suspected international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan planned to bomb the Pope's motorcade route on Jan. 18.

 

Pope Francis visited the Philippines last Jan. 15 to 19. During his visit, he had engagements in Metro Manila and Leyte.

 

While the Leyte leg of the papal visit was shortened by about four hours, it had more to do with bad weather conditions brought by Tropical Storm Amang.

 

CNA cited earlier Philippine media reports that a man affiliated with Al-Qaeda planned to place a bomb along the route of the papal convoy.

 

But police learned of the plan and supposedly altered the route. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News