Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte. Screenshot of PCCO EDP press briefing video.
MANILA — Malacañang refused to have a dialogue with a multisectoral group campaigning for the resignation of President Aquino III.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the group’s demand is not a reflection of the stand of the Catholic bishops.
She added that the palace has no plans of sitting down with the National Transformation Council (NTC) which counts prominent Catholic bishops among its members.
The NTC urged Aquino to resign, in a statement made last Tuesday after claiming the Aquino no longer have the moral ascendancy to lead the country.
The statement was made during a meeting reportedly led by Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa, Batangas, and Bishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao City.
Valte, however said that the Palace has not heard of any direct statement from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, asking for the President to resign.
She added that contrary to what was earlier reported, Vidal denied that he was a part of the said group calling for the resignation of President Aquino.
“At least at this point, we will respond to the concerns raised in the NTC, but we would be reluctant to use the stand of the NTC as reflective of the Catholic bishops,” she said. Meanwhile, Valte also said that Malacañang will continue reporting the policies and accomplishments of the administration through the press briefings and other media forums.
“Apart from the reports aired in the media, there’s no other move [from them] to reach out to the administration,” Valte told state-run dzRB radio.