After he was cleared by President Duterte on his supposed involvement in the planned release of rapist and murderer former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo yesterday admitted that members of the Ampatuan family met him two weeks ago also to ask for help, months after he met the kin of Sanchez.
Panelo made the statement after President Duterte said that he has full faith in him amid the controversy surrounding the Bureau of Corrections and the Good Conduct Time Allowance law.
He said that he met the Ampatuans after they were referred to him by the Office of the President. “Meron. Ampatuan,” Panelo said when asked if he had another former client who came to him for help.
The Palace official explained that one of the Ampatuans is at large and the wife, whose name he cannot recall, and mother came to him to stress his innocence in the election-related Maguindanao massacre which claimed the lives of 58 individuals in 2009.
“They are claiming that inosente sila. Oh, sabi ko, ‘Bakit hindi sumurrender?’ Siyempre ayaw daw sumurrender kasi pareho nung mga kapatid nakakulong hanggang ngayon, hindi pa tapos ang trial,” Panelo said. “They are asking the intercession of the President,” he added.
Panelo said that he first saw the Ampatuans in an event in Davao City which the President also attended. He said Duterte immediately recognize them and they told the President their concern.
“Kilala niya nang dati kasi mga taga-Davao, eh. So, sabi naman ni Presidente, narinig ko sabi niya, ‘Eh, antayin na lang ninyo kung ano ang judgment ng court, nasa court na ‘yan, ‘eh’,” he said.
“And then, apparently sumulat sila, hindi ko na matandaan kung sumulat sila sa Office of the President or humihingi ng appointment kay Presidente. And then parang I received a note referring them to me. So nagpunta sila I think mga two weeks ago lang, eh,” he added. (Argyll Geducos)