Malacañang maintained that President Marcos is blameless in the massive flood control anomalies, reiterating that it was him who exposed the corruption scheme.

Asked if the Palace maintains that Marcos is blameless in the infrastructure anomalies amid the series of name dropping happening in the Senate and House of Representatives hearings, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said yes.

"Opo, dahil hindi po maglalakas ng loob ang Pangulo an siya pa mismo ang magpapaimbestiga kung alam niya sa sarili niya na mayroon siyang maling ginawa, maliban lamang, sinasabi nga natin kung mayroong gagawa ng kuwento, para sirain ang pangalan ng Pangulo (Yes, because the President would not have the courage to initiate an investigation himself if he knew that he had done something wrong—except, as we have said, if someone were to make up stories to destroy the President’s reputation)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Friday, Sept. 26.

Castro also believed that Marcos should not be blamed over the anomalies because he was the one who signed the 2025 national budget, pointing out that the President took his time to study the budget, leading to some provisions being vetoed.

She further said that the President trusted his Cabinet secretaries during the budget review.

"Unang-una po, pinirmahan niya po iyan, may mga na-veto, inaral po iyan ng economic team at nandodoon po ang kanyang paniniwala sa isinasaad at sinasabi ng kaniyang mga cabinet secretaries (First of all, he signed it. Some items were vetoed, it was studied by the economic team, and his trust lies in what his Cabinet secretaries presented and recommended)," Castro said.

"So with that, nang ipakita iyong supposed to be projects, at iyan po ay kanyang pinirmahan sa paniniwalang iyan po ay gagawin (So, when those supposed projects were shown, he signed it with the belief that they would indeed be carried out)," she added.

The Palace official also said that it is such a far-fetched opinion to see the President being implicated into the infrastructure anomalies by implicating his cousin, former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

"Wala po tayong nakikitang ganoon. Napakalayo po nang ganoong klaseng opinyon. At hindi po magpapaimbestiga ang Pangulo maliban lamang sa ibang mga obstructionist na ang nais talaga ay sirain lang ang pangalan ng Pangulong Marcos Jr. (We do not see anything like that. Such an opinion is far-fetched. And the President would not call for an investigation, except from certain obstructionists whose only intention is really to destroy the name of President Marcos Jr.)," Castro said.

If the residence within the Malacañang compound was indeed another drop-off point for former Romualdez's alleged kickbacks, it should be proven first, Castro said when sought for reaction.

"Kung mayroon pong ganitong talagang pangyayari patunayan lamang po (If such an incident truly happened, then it should simply be proven)," Castro said.

She reiterated that the President will not interfere in the investigation and would spare no one, including allies and relatives.

"At muli hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo sa mga pag-iimbestiga na ito kaya po nag-create ng isang independent commission para po maging malaya ang pag-iimbestiga – kamag-anak, kaalyado, pinsan man, kapatid man o anuman lahat po ay dapat maimbestigahan kung dapat na maimbestigahan (Once again, the President will not interfere in these investigations—that is why an independent commission was created to ensure the investigation is conducted freely. Whether relative, ally, cousin, sibling, or anyone else, all must be investigated if there is a need to do so)," she said.