Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro has hit back at Honeylet Avanceña, former president Duterte's common-law wife, saying justice will be served in the recent kidnap-slay case of a Filipino-Chinese tycoon, unlike the victims of supposed extrajudicial killings under the previous administration.

Castro said this after Avanceña, who is currently in The Hague where Duterte is detained, supposedly congratulated the Marcos administration for the recent cases of kidnapping and killings.

In a press briefing, the Palace Press Officer said the government would pursue justice for kidnap-slay victim Chinese tycoon Anson Que, unlike the unresolved killings during the Duterte era.

"So makakaasa po ang taong bayan at buong sambayanan na hindi po tutulugan ng gobyerno ang mga ganitong klaseng sitwasyon (The public can be assured that the government will not sleep on these kinds of situations)," she said.

"Pananatalihin po natin na magkakaroon ng hustisya... at hindi po natin hahayaan na mangyaring muli ang naganap sa mga naging biktima ng EJK (We will ensure that justice is served and not allow what happened to the victims of EJKs to happen again)," she added.

Castro appealed to Avanceña to refrain from issuing sarcastic or divisive statements.

"Hindi po rin natin gugustuhin i-congratulate ang dating pangulong Duterte sa mga nagawa pong EJK dahil po buhay po ang pinag-uusapan dito (We also wouldn’t want to congratulate former president Duterte for the EJKs committed, because we are talking about lives here)," she said.

According to Castro, Avanceña should not make fun of the situation, especially since a life was lost.

"Kay Ms. Honeylet Avanceña, huwag niyo po gawin na issue dahil may buhay po dito na nakasalalay, may mga buhay na nawala (To Ms. Honeylet Avanceña, please don’t make this an issue because lives are at stake here, and lives have been lost)," she said.

"Huwag niyong gawing issue ito at gawing niyong katatawanan ang gobyerno (Don’t make this an issue and turn the government into a laughingstock)," she added.

Castro questioned Avanceña's attitude and asked why was she taking pleasure in current tragedies.

"Hindi natin malaman bakit ganoon ang naging attitude ni Ms. Honeylet. Parang ikinatutuwa pa ba niya na may mga ganitong sitwasyon sa bansa (We don’t understand why Ms. Honeylet has that kind of attitude. Is she somehow happy about these situations in the country)?" Castro wondered.

"Hindi ba dapat bilang Pilipino, nagkakaisa tayo upang ang bansa natin ay umangat (Shouldn’t we, as Filipinos, unite so our country can rise)?" she added.

The Palace official warned against provocative statements from Duterte's allies.

"Huwag silang gumawa ng gulo dahil hindi po 'yan maganda (They should not stir trouble because that’s not good)," she said.

"Huwag nilang simulan ang gulo sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng ganitong mga klaseng remarks o pananalita (They should not start trouble by making these kinds of remarks or statements)," she added.

Meanwhile, Castro said President Marcos is serious about solving crimes.

"Ang Pangulo at ang Administrasyon ay kunukundina ang bawat krimen na nangyayari sa bansa (The President and the Administration condemn every crime happening in the country)," she said.

Regarding the case of Anson Que, Castro said the Philippine National Police (PNP) had already formed a special investigation task force and had replaced Police General Elmer Ragay with Police Col. David Poclay as director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group.

"At itong si Police General Elmer Ragay... ay na-relieve na po dahil hindi po nasisiyahan sa pagkakataong ito sa kanyang performance (Police General Elmer Ragay has been relieved due to dissatisfaction with his performance in this situation)," she said.