While former House Speaker Martin Romualdez attributed budget corruption to the executive branch, President Marcos does not feel he is being blamed for the anomalies surrounding the national budget, which are also linked to the massive flood control scandal.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Thursday, April 22, that the President does not feel he was being blamed despite him being the head of the executive branch.

Romualdez, the President's cousin, debunked the narrative that he was the "mastermind" of the flood control projects corruption scandal.

In a video message, he said that "command responsibility is far more logically relevant in the executive branch, where there is actual supervision, operational control, and implementation on the ground, than in a collegial legislative body whose constitutional role is deliberation and appropriation."

The Palace, Castro said, view this as Marcos, being the Chief Executive, has the authority and obligation to clean up anomalies in the government.

"Hindi ganoon ang tingin ng Pangulo dahil nga po, una po, 2025 noong nakikita niya na mayroong mga anomalya, siya po ang nag-utos na magpaimbestiga (The President does not see it that way because, first, in 2025, when he saw anomalies, he himself ordered an investigation)," Castro said in a Palace brieing.

Castro cited the formation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), "so that it cannot be said that there is any cover-up."

"Because being the commander-in-chief, being the Chief Executive, ano po ba ang mandato ng isang Presidente, hindi po ba linisin ang mga anomalya sa gobyerno kahit tamaan na ang kaniyang administrasyon (What is the mandate of a President: to clean up anomalies in the government, even if his administration is affected)," Castro also said.

"So, ang ibig sabihin po nito, kung nakita niya, being the President, mayroon siyang obligasyon na paimbestigahan ito at linisin ang kalat na nangyayari sa kaniyang administrasyon kung mayroon man (This means that if he sees it, as President, he has an obligation to have it investigated and to clean up the mess happening within his administration, if there is any)," she added.

The Palace official also said that whatever the statement of Romualdez was already beyond Malacañang's scope.

"Kung ano po ang nararamdaman ni dating Speaker Martin Romualdez ay hindi po natin ito saklaw. Kung ang pag-iimbestiga po ay makakatulong mismo ang dating Speaker, mas gugustuhin po iyan ng pamahalaan, ng Pangulo para managot ang dapat na managot (What former Speaker Martin Romualdez feels is beyond our scope. If the former Speaker can help in the investigation, the government and the President would prefer that, so that those who are accountable can be held responsible)," she said.

The Palace mouthpiece also said that "whatever defense former Speaker Romualdez may have against any accusations is his own responsibility."

"At kung sinasabi niya po na ang executive ang may command responsibility, kaya nga po nagpautos ang Pangulo, hindi po tinulugan, walang pagko-cover up, pinaumpisahan po niya ang pag-iimbestiga para kung mayroon mang anomalya at kung sino iyong dapat na managot, dapat po na managot (And when he says that the executive has command responsibility, that is precisely why the President ordered an investigation. It was not ignored, and there was no cover-up; the President initiated the investigation so that if there are anomalies and those who should be held accountable can be identified, they will be made to answer for them)," Castro said.

Asked about the status of relationship between the President and the former House speaker, Castro said she has no personal knowledge about it, and has not seen the two officials communicate since she assumed her post as the Palace Press Officer.

"Sa aking personal na pagkakaalam, wala po akong nakita na sila po ay nag-usap (In my personal knowledge, I have not seen them talked)," she said.