By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
At the Palace press briefing held on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s stance on the anti-corruption protests that will be held on Sept. 21.
Castro noted that the President respects the freedoms of speech and expression, which serve as the conduit for the masses to voice their sentiments of frustration and anger at the grave corruption unearthed in ‘ghost’ and anomalous flood control projects—among the roster of other questionable public works that are being scrutinized by lawmakers.
She told the media, “Hindi po nangangamba ang Pangulo sa gagawing protesta dahil alam po niya na ang mga nagpoprotesta dito ay kakampi rin po niya, kakampi sa kanyang adhikain. Sabi nga po niya kahapon, kung hindi siya Presidente, malamang makakasama rin siya sa mga nagpoprotesta laban sa korupsyon.”
Moreover, when asked by reporters about possible death threats and rumors of a destabilization plot against the Chief Executive amid the corruption mess and the cancellation of his attendance at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Castro dismissed such claims and reaffirmed the National Security Council’s (NSC) unwavering support in protecting President Marcos from external threats.
The Palace mouthpiece said of the alleged destabilization ploy against the country’s top government official, “Wala tayong makitang ganun klaseng koneksyon, hindi ko makita yung koneksyon. Ulitin natin, saan ito nagsimula? Nanawagan ang Pangulo sa SONA pa lang, ang sabi niya, ‘Mahiya naman kayo’; at ngayon ay nagtutuloy-tuloy ang pag-iimbestiga tungkol sa maanomalyang flood control projects.
She explained further, “At hindi lang diyan nagtatapos iyan, may infrastructure pa na mga issues. So wala tayong nakikitang koneksiyon tungkol sa destabilization. Ang ayaw lang po ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon mismo; at ng AFP at PNP; ay gamitin itong damdamin ng tao, sentimyento ng tao—ng mga elemento na maaaring magpagiba sa gobyerno.”
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