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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace official: Opposition spreading lies to regain power

Palace official: Opposition spreading lies to regain power

Published Feb 24, 2025 03:56 am

At A Glance

  • Castro said the opposition should present evidence instead of sowing intrigue without backing up its claims. She likewise recalled the former president's past statement about supposedly fabricating evidence.

A Malacañang official rejected former president Rodrigo Duterte's claim that the Marcos administration was veering toward dictatorship, saying the opposition has now resorted to spreading falsehoods in their attempt to regain power.

DUTS MARCOS
Malacañang file photos

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said this after Duterte, in an indignation rally in Mandaue City, Cebu on Feb. 22, alleged that the Marcos administration was leaning toward dictatorship.

In an interview, Castro said what the former president and his camp were trying to do was obvious.

"Talaga naman nakikita natin kung saan sila gumagawi (We can clearly see where they are heading)," she said on Monday, Feb. 24.

"Gusto nila makuha muli ang power, ang authority (They want to regain power, the authority)," she added.

According to Castro, administration critics were using rallies to attack the government.

"Nakikita natin yung paninira nila sa pamahalaan at sa Pangulo (We see their attacks on the government and the President)," she said.

According to the Palace official, the opposition should present evidence instead of sowing intrigue without backing up its claims.

Castro recalled the former president's past statement about supposedly fabricating evidence.

"Siguro natatandaan ninyo nung panahon ni dating pangulong Duterte inamin niya noong piskal pa lang siya, expert na siya sa pag-intriga at pagplanta ng ebidensya (Perhaps you can recall during the time of former president Duterte he admitted that even when he was a prosecutor, he was already an expert in creating intrigue and planting evidence)," she said.

Castro cited as an example the case of former Senator Leila de Lima who was arrested on drug-related charges during Duterte's time. Some key witnesses have since retracted their testimonies against De Lima.

"Napatunayan natin iyan sa panahon ni Senator Leila de Lima. So ano ba yung ating e-expect sa dating Pangulo Duterte? Gumawa ng intriga, Magplanta ng ebidensya (We proved that during the time of former senator De Lima. So what else could we expect from the former president but create intrigues and plant evidence)," she said.

Not interfering

Meanwhile, Castro dismissed allegations that President Marcos was involved in the impeachment case against Vice President Duterte.

"Hindi naman niya hawak, of course, ang Kongreso dahil meron tayo separation of powers (Of course, he does not control Congress because we have a separation of powers)," she explained.

"Hindi siya makikialam, hindi siya kikilos kung ito man ay matuloy or 'di matuloy (He will neither interfere nor act whether the case pushes through or not)," she added.

Castro reiterated that Marcos had initially hoped impeachment complaints against the Vice President would not be filed.

Related Tags

Bongbong Marcos claire castro President Duterte President Marcos
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