If it is true that recent anti-government protest actions in the country were funded by foreign entities, it would be considered a betrayal of the nation, a Palace official said.

Palace Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) is continuously checking and closely coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the possibility of foreign entities being behind recent anti-government rallies.

"At kung ito man ay may katotohanan, kapwa Pilipino kung, again, kung may katotohanan at makikita po sa kanilang pag-iimbestiga na foreign funded itong kanilang isinasagawang rally masasabi po nating ito ay pagtataksil sa bayan (And if this is proven to be true—again, if it is true—and their investigation shows that the rally they are conducting is foreign-funded, we can say that this is an act of betrayal against the country)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Thursday, Nov. 20.

The Palace official stressed that foreign entities should not interfere with domestic issues and politics.

"At hindi po nararapat ito na pinanghihimasukan tayo ng ibang bansa. Ang politika natin ay mukhang pinanghihimasukan na ng ibang bansa, so, hindi po maganda (It is not right for other nations to interfere with us. It seems that our politics is already being influenced by other countries, and that is not good)," Castro said.

"Sana hindi po lumalim pa ang ganitong klaseng mga aktibidad kung nagpopondo lang naman din po ay ibang bansa (I hope these kinds of activities do not escalate further, especially if it turns out that they are being funded by another country)," Castro added.

According to the Palace press officer, President Marcos' directive remains that anything that undermines the nation's interest must be investigated.

"Still, ganoon pa rin po, kung ano po ang hindi dapat sa bansa o kung nasisira po ang interes ng bansa dapat pong mas imbestigahan po. Pero sa ngayon po ay tsini-check naman po ito, continuously looking on this matter ang AFP (Still, it remains that anything that is not in the best interest of the country, or that undermines the nation’s interests, should be investigated further. But for now, this is being checked, with the AFP continuously monitoring the matter)," she said when asked if the President has issued an instruction about the matter.

The AFP said it was looking into the possibility of foreign intervention in the rallies, following a rally staged at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City over the weekend calling for Marcos' resignation.