Lacierda admits latest Llamas controversy ‘distraction to governance’

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman on Thursday conceded that the current controversy involving Ronald Llamas, the President’s political adviser, was a “distraction to governance.”

Edwin Lacierda said this when asked whether Palace officials were embarrassed about the controversy stemming from a photograph in the front page of the Inquirer on Wednesday showing Llamas apparently purchasing pirated DVDs in a Quezon City mall.

“It is one of the distractions … It is a distraction to governance,” Lacierda told reporters.

He said Llamas will be coming out either Thursday or Friday “to explain” after he first talked to the President.

He also said that “no one is indispensable” and “none of us are untouchable.”

Lacierda clarified that when the President commented on Wednesday that Llamas’ controversy was not his priority, it was “not in respect to the fight against intellectual piracy.”

The spokesman reminded that the President had also listed the priorities he wanted to tackle, such as the recent bomb blast in Makati City.

“This has nothing to do with our fight against intellectual piracy,” Lacierda said.