Kinumpirma ng Malakanyang na bumisita si Pangulong Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III sa Central temple ng maimpluwensyang religious group na Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) sa Quezon City kaninang alas-7:30 ng umaga.

Sa isang press conference, sinabi ni Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda na bahagi ito ng pakikipagpulong ng Pangulo sa mga religious group upang talakayin ang mga importanteng isyu sa bansa tulad ng impeachment trial kay Chief Justice Renato Corona.

"The President only mentioned the reason why there is an impeachment against Chief Justice Corona. He explained his reasons... We have no other details other than the fact that the President explained to 'Ka Eduardo' the reasons for the impeachment."

"The President explained his position on impeachment."

Walang lobbying

Mariing itinanggi ni Lacierda na ang dahilan ng pagbisita ng Pangulo sa INC Central ay ang paglabas ng balitang nagla-lobby umano ang religious group sa United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party para sa acquittal ni Corona.

"I think that is not the sole purpose of the President. The purpose of the President is to touchbase with his supporters. And you don't need to get the support right now. The decision is not being made by the President. He's not going to rule on the fate of the Chief Justice. It's going to be the senators who are going to rule on the fate of the Chief Justice."

"Sinabi na natin kanina, this was really scheduled. May mga atttempts to meet ang problema lang, hindi magkatugma ang schedule ni PNoy at ni 'Ka Eduardo' kaya nangyari lang itong Monday na nagkaroon ng both opportunity to see each other. Nagkataon lang during the weekend na ito 'yung headline ng isang dyaryo but it has nothing to do with the news about the lobbying of the INC. Again, let me emphasize that this has been previously scheduled," ani Lacierda.

"Yung tungkol sa scheduling, 'Ka Eduardo' is the head of Iglesia ni Cristo, his scheduled is jampacked together with President's schedule also."

"The scheduling was not done on whim. They tried to fix the schedule on both parties. It was only this Monday nagkaroon ng confirmation, availability of both parties to meet. Again, it has nothing to do with the headline on your paper."

"Let me emphasized that the scheduling was being arranged even before Holy Week and it was only today that they were able to see each other."

"Again, we don't believe that there is an INC lobby for Chief Justice," pahayag pa ni Lacierda.

Tradisyon

Samantala, binigyang-diin ni Lacierda na ang pakikipagpulong ng Pangulo sa mga religious leader ay tradisyon na ng mga lider ng bansa.

"This is not uncommon thing to do when the President meets his supporters."

"Ganyan lang talaga si Pangulo....This is part of his usual process. You know the President, he likes to explains matters," aniya.

Hindi kasama sa schedule

Dinepensahan naman ni Lacierda ang hindi pagsasama ng INC meeting sa daily itinerary ng Pangulo na ibinibigay sa media.

"Ito po ay isang private meeting at ang mga private meeting ay hindi po namin inilalabas but it happened so we are not denying anything."

"Maraming schedule si Pangulo na private meeting na hindi namin isinasama. There's certain  matters that we not list out in the schedule. This is not something that we are not denying," pagtatapos ni Lacierda. With a report from Dennis Datu, Radyo Patrol 42 and Junry Hidalgo, Radyo Patrol 31