Bam seeks public apology from Aguirre for false accusations

Senator Bam Aquino. INQUIRER.net / FILE PHOTO

Two days after he was linked in the ongoing crisis in Marawi City, Senator Bam Aquino is still waiting for public apology from his accuser, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

Aquino said he was “baffled” why until now Aguirre has not publicly apologized to him.

“The clarification that his office issued is merely stating the obvious,” the senator said in a statement on Friday.

“The Justice secretary should simply apologize and take responsibility for his reckless accusations,” he said.

In a statement issued by his office, Aguirre retracted his earlier claim that Aquino was present in the alleged May 2 meeting in Marawi City supposedly attended by other opposition lawmakers— Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano.

Aguirre said the meeting could have sparked the Maute group’s attack in Marawi on May 23.

READ: Aguirre sees ouster plot vs Duterte linked to Marawi crisis

While he said the Justice secretary had already apologized to him by phone Wednesday night, Aquino still wants his accuser to make his apology public.

READ: Bam says Aguirre has apologized, cited ‘confusion’

The senator said Aguirre “should own up to his mistakes and publicly apologize for his irresponsibility” as what he promised when they talked over the phone.

“The least he can do is make a public apology at hinahanap natin ang pangako na mas magiging maingat na siya sa kanyang mga binibitawang salita (and we are looking forward to his promise to be very careful in every word he says),” Aquino said. JPV