Palace wishes MVP won't leave Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang expressed hope yesterday that businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan would not push through with his reported plan to pull out his business operations from the Philippines.

Pangilinan had earlier lamented that his name was dragged into the controversy involving the backroom negotiations of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with China.

Trillanes claimed Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was working for Pangilinan and did not want to resolve the West Philippine Sea dispute to favor the businessman’s exploration contract at Reed Bank.

Del Rosario belied the claims of Trillanes, saying he would have espoused any quick solution if his intention was to make things easy for Pangilinan.

Pangilinan also said Trillanes was lying since he did not even have an agreement with a Chinese company yet on the exploration contract.

After hitting Del Rosario and Pangilinan, Trillanes picked a fight with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. He accused the Senate chief of being a lackey of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and that he was bolting the Senate majority because he had lost confidence in Enrile’s leadership.

Enrile turned the tables on Trillanes and accused the senator of working for China and disrespecting Del Rosario and Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they were hoping that Pangilinan would stay in the Philippines, as things would settle down despite the current controversy.

“We certainly hope this will not be the case, these things sort themselves out (in due) time,” she said.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales III has also appealed to Pangilinan not to leave the country.

Pangilinan expressed dismay over recent developments and said he would rather go back to Hong Kong if given a choice.

Pangilinan’s investments in the Philippines include the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. (PLDT) and its subsidiaries that include Smart Communications, utility firm Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), hospitals, and media entities, among others.

On Friday, Pangilinan parted ways with the Ateneo de Manila University over their disagreeing positions on mining and the reproductive health bill.

“Perhaps these things will sort themselves out in due time. We also understand because he (Pangilinan) was suddenly dragged into a mess. There are so many names being mentioned,” Valte said.

Valte said even Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was dragged into the controversy and named as the one allegedly behind the ouster move against Enrile.

Valte said Abad had clarified that he was not part of any move to oust Enrile and that such claims were preposterous.