Quiboloy accepts Aquino’s apology

DAVAO CITY -- International evangelist Apollo Quiboloy accepted Friday Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino’s apology after the latter failed to attend last week’s Sukatan 2010 presidential forum.

Quiboloy earlier castigated Aquino for not attending the forum sponsored by him at his Kingdom of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name in Buhangin district, this city.

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The pastor said Aquino has no word of honor as it was him who asked the forum to be reset from February 11 to March 9.

But after a three-hour closed-door meeting in the presence of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidentiable Mar Roxas at JC Compound in Sasa Friday evening, Quiboloy granted Aquino forgiveness, saying he was grateful to the LP standard bearer for going out of his way to explain.

"I appreciate their going out of their way to come and explain to me what happened and I understood that it was really beyond his control," Quiboloy said.

Aquino’s excuse for his absence was barosinusitis, a symptom complex due to atmospheric pressure and air pressure in the paranasal sinuses.

Aquino said he was advised by his doctor to defer air travel for two consecutive days.

The following day after the forum, Aquino went to Zamboanga City for a campaign sortie.

In an interview after the meeting Friday, Aquino said Quiboloy finally accepted his explanation and apology.

"I'm really very appreciative of the time that he has given us and his understanding for the incident that happened and that it was beyond my control," he said.

Aquino said he and his doctors were avoiding a similar incident during the Christmas period when he had three weeks of impaired hearing due to the volume of fluid entering his eardrum and may endanger of rupturing.

"Kung gusto lang ang pag-uusapan, bakit hindi? Pero hindi man ako nakatupad sa aking pangako, hindi ko ito sinasadya at kailangang ipaliwanag," he said.

Villar's turn

Quiboloy and his millions of followers, meanwhile, are waiting for an explanation from Senator Manny Villar, who also committed but failed to appear in the presidential forum despite his being in the city last Tuesday.

Earlier reports said Villar readily apologized to Quiboloy for his absence. But the pastor said the Nacionalista Party standard bearer never contacted him for an apology after the forum.

"He committed and we expected him. He even asked me then if Senator Noy was around. Pero natapos na lang ang forum, hindi siya dumating. I have not talked to him about this until now," he said.

He admitted still having the ill-feelings for Villar.

"Of course, because he committed. At least Senator Noy sent me a letter and he visited me. At least I know that he is sincere," Quiboloy said.

But like in the case of Aquino, Quiboloy is also willing to hear Villar's explanation.

"I am open to his explanation because all I received during the forum were information from his chief of staff that he is on his way and he never arrived," he said.

With both presidentiables absent in the forum, Quiboloy is contemplating on creating another venue for both candidates to lay down their platforms for the members of the Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name, a six-million strong religious organization of Quiboloy.

"The Sonshine Media Network International is willing to facilitate again a forum for both of them since they were the ones who were absent during the earlier forum," he said.

Quiboloy, however, is also planning on having a one-on-one TV interview over Sonshine TV with Senator Aquino.

"Sana kung may pagkakataon at oras, iimbitahin ko siya para marinig din siya in full ng mga miyembro," he said.

For media mileage

Aquino and Villar, along with other presidential candidates, have been going on campaign sorties since the start of the election campaign last February 9. Both are members of the opposition.

Recently, they warned the administration about diverting calamity funds for political purposes after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed the entire Mindanao region under state of calamity.

On Saturday, Malacañang hit the two candidates for allegedly using the state of calamity issue in Mindanao for media mileage.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Ricardo Saludo, in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday, said the two presidentiables’ expression of fears was part of their campaigning.

“That is normal during elections. They will be saying all negative criticisms so that they will be put on the media. We cannot stop them from doing that as it is part of politicking,” he said.

Dismissing claims of Aquino and Villar, the Palace official said the move of President Arroyo was not for fund release but to address the worsening power crisis in Mindanao.

“The needs of our brothers in Mindanao are clear and that’s what we are responding to,” he said.

Saludo assured that there will be strict monitoring of the five percent calamity fund of local government units.

He lashed back at Aquino and Villar to come up with solutions to power problem than to criticize the government. (BOT of Sun.Star Davao/Jill Beltran/Sunnex)