President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Courtesy: PCO)
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has dismissed as “nonsense” Vice President Sara Duterte’s latest accusations against his administration, with Malacañang saying these kinds of “repeated lies” can no longer be ignored.
Meanwhile, Malacañang dissociated itself from claims by political strategist Lito Banayo that the administration is considering a Leni Robredo-Manny Pacquiao tandem for the 2028 elections.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos himself described Duterte’s remarks as “nonsense” and “fake news,” after the Vice President charged the administration of becoming increasingly “diabolical” in its alleged efforts to bring her down, push Charter change, prevent the 2028 elections and cling to power.
Castro, in a Palace briefing, said Marcos called her to relay his thoughts about the Vice President’s remarks.
“He said it is nonsense, fake news, they are fond of lying. ‘Buwaon.’ Let us translate that: liars,” Castro said.
“All of the Vice President’s accusations against the President, we know where these are headed. We know that these have no basis,” she added.
The Palace official said Marcos’ more direct response was prompted by Duterte’s repeated attacks against him and his administration.
“It keeps happening. The attacks against the President do not stop, the attacks against this administration whose only aim is to work continuously,” she said.
Asked why Marcos appeared to be responding more directly this time, Castro said the President could no longer simply disregard what she described as continuing accusations.
“We cannot simply disregard all these lies coming from an obstructionist, a destabilizer,” she said.
Duterte made her latest accusations while denying allegations by a former security officer of former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco that he delivered suitcases containing P2 billion in cash to the Vice President, her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and her brother, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte.
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Banayo, who claimed an unnamed Palace source, told her that former Vice President and Naga City Mayor Robredo and former Sen. Pacquiao were being eyed as a tandem, is not part of the administration.
“Lito Banayo? As in that Lito Banayo? His own political strategy? He’s not even part of the administration,” Castro said.
Banayo recently claimed that a source inside Malacañang told him that a “Leni-Pacman team” was being considered for 2028. He also linked Pacquiao’s recent appointment as secretary and lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission to the alleged plan.
Asked whether Malacañang was dismissing reports of a possible Robredo-Pacquiao tandem, Castro said she had not been given any information about such discussions.
“They’re not giving me any details at all about that tandem-tandem,” she said.
“Because the President’s focus, first and foremost, is addressing the problem of the coming Super El Niño.,” she added.
She said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was also focused on other pressing issues, including the crisis in the Middle East.