5 senators deny being approached by Iglesia ni Cristo for Corona acquittal

By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA News

Published May 21, 2012 12:49pm

(Updated 3:05 p.m.) At least five senators on Monday denied being approached by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to lobby for the acquittal of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.

"Walang pumupunta sa akin. I quarantined myself already," Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile told reporters during a chance interview on Monday. Enrile, who is also the court's presiding officer, did not elaborate.

He issued the statement after the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that Iglesia ni Cristo officials Dan Orosa and Resty Lazaro supposedly met with him and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada during the Senate's Lenten break to discuss the case of Corona.

Corona's lead counsel, Serafin Cuevas, is also the lawyer of the religious group.

The Inquirer also reported that Manny Cuevas and Victor Cheng, also of the Iglesia ni Cristo, had been requesting to meet with other senators reportedly to lobby for Corona’s acquittal.

But in separate interviews on Monday, Senators Edgardo Angara, Francis Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. denied that they were approached by any Iglesia ni Cristo representative.

"Walang nag-lo-lobby sa akin...mula noon hanggang ngayon," Sotto said.

“Nobody has come to me. Yung mga nakakausap namin ay hindi nabanggit kahit minsan yung impeachment,” Marcos also told reporters.

Angara, however, said it is within the rights of any sect or civilian group to request for an audience with their representatives.

"I think there is nothing wrong with constituents to talk to their representative government. Hindi ba yun ang konsepto ng ating demokrasya, representative government?" he said.

"People are represented by representatives and so the people and their organizations can talk to their representative" he added.

For his part, Pangilinan said he prefers not to discuss impeachment matters with groups.

On Monday, it was reported that President Benigno Aquino III also met with the Iglesia ni Cristo, although supposedly not regarding the alleged lobbying.

Marcos, however, said the public should not read too much into it.

“The Iglesia comprises a significant percentage and a very solid, as we all know, well regarded organization. So it’s natural for the President to go, to speak and to consult and to talk about all of these things and about anything,” he said.

Corona is expected to testify before the Senate, sitting as the impeachment court, on Tuesday. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: coronaimpeachment, iglesianicristo