Panelo: Ampatuans also asked for help

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2019 09:05:59 +0000

PANELO

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 immedi
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