Andoni Aboitiz, chair of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Board of Trustees, met with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol late Tuesday afternoon. I wrote about it for Rappler here: National Museum cautions vs labeling heritage church panels as ‘stolen’ property

A source tipped me on the one-on-one meeting between Aboitiz and Garcia. I reached out to Capitol PIO to ask whether there would be a press conference after.. When told that none was scheduled, I decided to go to the Capitol anyway, hoping to be able to do an “ambush interview,” journalist-speak for unscheduled interviews that usually catch news sources off-guard.

The meeting was initially set for 2 pm but then was rescheduled to 4:30 pm. I was in the waiting room talking to Capitol PIO Kathy Navarro-Bethune and heritage consultant Professor Jobers Bersales, who was finalizing his recommendation to Garcia on the Bus Rapid Transit system vis-a-vis the Capitol being a heritage zone. I asked to read Jobers’ recommendation and realized it would be explosive, especially after being told a memo was being issued. I passed on the tip. I wanted to focus on the panels issue.

Aboitiz entered alone and took a seat at the opposite end of the room from where we were talking. Jobers approached him and they talked for a bit. I later learned that Jobers pointed me out to Aboitiz as the one who broke the story and that I was planning to interview him. Aboitiz told Jobers he “might” allow an interview after the meeting with Garcia.

Aboitiz went out to go to the toilet and I positioned myself near the door, hoping to be able to talk to him when he returned. When he came back, I introduced myself and asked whether I could ask a few questions. He answered, “let me talk to the governor first.” At least more encouraging than “might.”

Aboitiz was then called to the meeting. Some time later, Jobers was also asked to join. I decided to wait in the hallway to make sure that I wouldn’t miss Aboitiz when he left the meeting. This proved the correct decision because when Aboitiz left the meeting room, he walked briskly to the exit.

When I walked beside him and told him whether I could ask a few questions, he answered “depending on the question.”

I asked him whether anything was decided during the meeting. Aboitiz said no, nothing was decided.

I asked him what would happen next, he said it was the start of the “constructive” dialogue on the way forward. I asked whether I could record the interview, “I just want to make sure I get things right, sir.” He refused and said “no recording.” But he was ever so polite in his refusal. I would also learn later that he asked that no photos be taken of the meeting.

Aboitiz then said, “please stop calling them stolen” referring to the pulpit panels stolen from the heritage church of Boljoon. I am not so sure whether he referred to me, being a journalist, or to people in general who have been calling out the NMP especially on social media. They are looking into how the items ended up as donations to the NMP, he said.

Aboitiz said he visited Gov. Garcia because she was an old friend and he wanted her to hear things straight from him. He then said that “we want what’s best for the country.” I wanted to ask why he said “country” rather than “Cebu” but held back. It’s hard to ask a lot of follow up questions when you’re in the hallway with a news source obviously in a hurry to leave.

I then told him how NMP was unresponsive to questions and requests for information and documents. “I’ve been sending emails to your office as well as the other offices and got no response.” (Note: the NMP has since replied to my email.)

Give us some space, he answered, we’re doing a lot to address the issue. I can’t quite make up his face in hindsight, was he exasperated, exhausted, irritated?

I had thought of asking him a final question “why do I get the impression that the Archdiocese of Cebu is an afterthought? Why aren’t you visiting Archbishop Palma?” But I couldn’t get myself to ask him the question that way. It was opinionated and pointed, but that was my impression. He was here, anyway, why won’t he visit the owners of the panels? It was a question sure to elicit an interesting response. But he was ever so polite and kind.

What came out of my mouth was, “when are you visiting Archbishop Palma?” Soon, he said. Aboitiz said they would also meet other stakeholders such as Boljoon officials.

I thanked him and he walked toward the exit.

I would learn later that during the meeting, Governor Garcia stood firm on her assertion that the panels be returned to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon. Sources detailed the discussion but only on background and not for publishing, not even for blogging.

Several sources have told me that some in the NMP leadership think that they should just wait for things to blow over. That eventually people would forget this issue. I’m not so sure – I feel that Boljo-anons are angry enough to see this issue through after years of looting of their church treasures.