Malacañang said that President Marcos would get in touch with former president Rodrigo Duterte soon after the latter expressed his intention to talk to him.

Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said this after Duterte said in an interview that he would talk to Marcos indirectly to ask him about the situation.

In a text message, Garafil said Marcos has always been willing to converse with his predecessor.

“President Marcos is always available to former President Duterte,” she said on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 7.

“The President will contact him now to ask if he wants a meeting,” she added.

In an interview with Davao-based reporters, the former president expressed his intention to talk indirectly to Marcos on the investigations regarding SMNI, which is owned by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a known ally of Duterte.

 "Ang concern ko lang ngayon is to help my friend, si Pastor Quiboloy, dahil sa totoo lang, itong NTC (National Telecommunications Commission), wala naman silang nakita (My concern now is to help my friend, Pastor Quiboloy, because the NTC hasn’t really found anything)—they have not come up even an allegation of any wrongdoing," Duterte said.

"One of these days siguro (perhaps), I'll come up with a statement, not necessarily defending Pastor Quiboloy, but just to say something about the way things are, and it would mean Pastor Quiboloy or anybody for that matter,” he added.

According to Duterte, who has a program in SMNI, he has not said anything negative against Marcos.

"I do not want to confront the President, but rather, I'd like to talk to him indirectly kung bakit ganoon (why is this happening),” he said.

“As far as I am concerned, I have not crucified him, not even criticized him severely, maybe commented on the directions of the government. Yun lang naman (That’s all),” he added.

Last month, the NTC issued a 30-day suspension order against SMNI after the House of Representatives accused the network of violating certain provisions of its franchise.