Ron Mia
The group of evangelist Apollo Quiboloy is crying foul for what they described as Rodrigo Duterte’s camp’s outright “blocking” of Quiboloy’s efforts to help with the selection of cabinet members.
More than a week after the May 9 2016 elections, the camp of Quiboloy (longtime friend of presumptive president Duterte) has broken their silence after being sidelined in the selection process of the Duterte cabinet.
In an interview, Quiboloy spokesman Mike Abe said the pastor is saddened and disappointed after politicians surrounding the incoming president have ‘hidden” Duterte from him.
“Itinatago ng mga tao kay Pastor (Quiboloy) si Mayor. Halos putulin na ng mga tauhan ang komunikasyon kay Pastor”, he said.
(They are hiding the Mayor from Pastor Quiboloy. They’re almost cutting off the communication between the two.)
Abe added Quiboloy felt slighted about not being consulted on choosing Duterte’s cabinet. He said, quoting the Pastor’s exact words “Dapat may tamang proseso (There should be a proper process).”
“Hindi nga po kinonsulta si Pastor. Hindi po talaga sinali sa mga meeting, mga plano sa selection process para sa i-aappoint sa gabinete at ibang posisyon sa executive department,” said Abe
(Pastor was not consulted. He was not included in the meetings and planning in the selection process for the next cabinet members and other executive positions.)
“Kaya nalulungkot nga si Pastor kasi binalewala nga siya. Hindi siya isinali ng mga taong nakapaligid kay mayor at maaaring si mayor ay mayroon ding pagkukulang, dahil hanggang ngayon, 11 days na ang nakaraan wala pong communication ang dalawa, hindi po nag-uusap, hindi po nagkikita,” he added.
(Pastor is saddened because he was set aside. He’s being excluded by the people around the Mayor and maybe the mayor himself has shortcomings because it’s been already 11 days since the election and they haven’t communicated yet, they haven’t met yet.)
Although disappointed with what’s happening, Abe denied Quiboloy is interested in any government position. He said the pastor only wanted proper selection process to be followed.
“Gusto lang tumulong ni Pastor kay Mayor and the Filipinos…Dapat suriin kung sino ang karapat-dapat,” he said
(The Pastor just wanted to help the Mayor and the Filipinos. There should be proper scrutiny of who’s deserving to be appointed.)
In response to this, Duterte’s campaign spokesman Peter Laviña denied that Quiboloy was being deliberately shut out of the selection process.
In a report by ABS-CBN News, Laviña said, “These are not intentional. We wanted to accommodate everyone and, of course, we wanted to consult everyone. This is a continuing process. We are barely one week only.”
He added that the mayor’s staff who are in charge of handling Duterte’s schedule, are also being overwhelmed by the number of well-wishers who are seeking an audience with the presumptive president.
Laviña extended their apologies to Quiboloy and did not discount the fact that the pastor may be consulted on Duterte’s other choices.
