Aguirre damaging his credibility over false claims vs. LP – Pangilinan

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is damaging his own credibility over his false claims against the Liberal Party (LP) and its allies, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said Wednesday.

In a statement, Pangilinan said Aguirre’s allegations against several opposition lawmakers over the Marawi City attacks are “pure nonsense.”

“This is pure nonsense and this is the nth time Secretary Aguirre has come up with baseless accusations linking the Liberal Party to destabilization efforts,” Pangilinan, president of the LP, said.

Pangilinan said even Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said they have no information that would link the LP to the Marawi incident.

Aguirre earlier said he has asked the intelligence community to probe the meeting in Marawi City of opposition lawmakers and certain families weeks before the attacks perpetrated by the extremist Maute group.

He said it was possible that a May 2 meeting supposedly attended by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, as well as Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano could have “sparked the terroristic acts in Marawi."

Also allegedly present at the meeting were former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas and local leaders.

Pangilinan said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has already went on record to clarify that Aquino’s presence in Marawi City was to attend a Go Negosyo event. The said event was on May 19.

“That makes three Cabinet Secretaries refuting Aguirre's unfounded claims,” Pangilinan said.

“Every false accusation Aguirre makes against the LP results in further damage to his credibility. It is another attempt at deflecting the issue from the unresolved scandals facing his office,” he added.

Sought for comment on Aguirre’s allegations, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said in a curt reply: “Hogwash!”

Both Aquino and Trillanes have already denied Aguirre’s allegations, saying the Justice secretary may be a victim of fake news. — RSJ, GMA News