By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
“Hindi mabigat ang alegasyon ni Senator Imee—walang basehan. Kuwentong walang kuwenta, kuwentong kutsero.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains unbothered by political noise and theatrics around him as he remains hard at work in the administration’s probe on ‘ghost’ and anomalous flood control projects, Malacañang said in a statement Tuesday.
At a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro fired back at the remarks made by Senator Imee Marcos during the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s (INC) “Peaceful Rally for Transparency” held at the Quirino Grandstand on Monday.
Castro lamented Imee’s remarks against her brother, “Hindi man lang niya iningayan ang tungkol sa issue ng confidential funds, hindi rin niya iningayan ang pagpapadala sa dating Pangulong Duterte sa ICC, at ang iningay niya dito ay pabor pa mismo sa taong umaming siya ay murderer.”
She decried Imee’s support for the Dutertes, most notably the Vice President, “Hindi man lang yata niya inisip ang kalagayan ng mga taong diumanong biktima ng EJK. Kita n’yo naman kung saan siya patungo, kaya wala siyang gagawin kundi isang desperadong aksyon—sirain ang Pangulo para proteksyonan ang kanyang mga kaalyado.”
Castro, moreover, stressed that such allegations regarding the President’s usage of illegal drugs have already been settled in the past and are only brought to life by those who want to topple Marcos off his seat as the government’s top official.
She likewise reiterated her call for former Ako-Bicol Partylist Representative Elizaldy Co to return to the Philippines, face the music, and give his ‘evidence’ to the proper authorities.
As of press time, the First Couple is yet to make any legal action against Senator Imee, with an investigation into the lawmaker’s statements left to the discretion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).
Palace dispels calls for PBBM’s resignation amid flood control mess
In the same conference, Castro dismissed the opposition’s calls for President Marcos to step down from office amid various controversies on top of the ongoing probe into flood control projects and lapses in government public works.
She declared, “Lahat naman yata ng supporter ng Bise Presidente, ang nais ay paalisin sa puwesto ang Pangulo. Bakit? Para pumalit ang Bise Presidente. Hindi po option sa administrasyon, sa Pangulo ang pagbibitiw. Ang Pangulo ay matapang na haharapin ang anumang suliranin ng bansa—at silang nag-iingay, sila ay ingay lamang.”
The Palace mouthpiece dismissed these sentiments as a nuisance that aims to drive a wedge between the Marcos Jr. administration and the citizenry, with the goal of sowing seeds of violence arising from illogical and unfounded accusations against the Chief Executive.
Moreover, when asked about the ‘boomerang’ effect of the investigation into anomalies in flood control projects on the President, Castro pointed out the aim of those who want to topple the government and disrupt the country’s peace and order.
“Ito ang nais ipakita ng mga propagandista, mga destabilizer para mailihis ang issue tungkol sa talagang masasabing sangkot dito—mga sangkot na nais makaligtas at makalusot, dahil kapag nawala ang Pangulo sa kanyang puwesto, malamang muli magiging maligaya ang mga masasabing sangkot dahil ang susunod na liderato—ipagpapatuloy kaya itong paninindigan ng Pangulo na sawatain at puksain ang korapsyon?”
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