BARELY a week before the huge February 28 gathering of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Malacañang said it is  keeping its doors open to the INC and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines  (CBCP)  for a dialogue  to “discuss the merits of the impeachment case” against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“We are open to discussing the merits of the impeachment with the INC and the CBCP,” Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters yesterday.

Lacierda is hopeful that the INC will be true to their word that the Feb. 28 gathering will be a Bible exposition and not a rally to support Corona

Reports earlier said the INC leadership will  ask Aquino to respect the rule of law in the rally.

Earlier, President Benigno Aquino said when asked about the INC event, "Why should I be nervous? I have not done anything wrong."

He also dismissed as a “media war and a spin war” reports the INC gathering would throw its support behind the Chief Justice.

However, he admitted that, when he received reports that 5,000 members of the sect trooped to the Supreme Court to show support for Corona last week, he ordered Palace liaison officers to speak with the INC leadership who “denied that it was an Iglesia rally.”

Lacierda chided two Catholic bishops -- retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz and Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles -- for making an “unfortunate” call to end the impeachment trial.

“Where was Archbishop Arguelles when we were calling for the truth to come out? Where was Archbishop Cruz?” Lacierda said. “The impeachment may not be a biblical solution to our country’s problems, but it is a Constitutional solution.”