President Marcos has shrugged off allegations that he received suitcases of cash at his residence in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, with Malacañang saying on Monday, June 8, that the Chief Executive views the claims as baseless and untrue.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President was already aware of the accusations raised during a Senate hearing and reacted similarly to how he previously responded to allegations linking him to a supposed "No-El" plot.

“Nakita po ba ninyo kung paano siya nag-react patungkol sa no-el? Ganoon din po ang matatanggap ninyong reaksyon sa Pangulo, dahil alam niyan, alam na nating lahat, hindi po iyan totoo (Did you see how he reacted to the no-election allegations? That is the same reaction you will get from the President because he knows, and we all know, that it is not true),” she said.

Asked if the President merely rolled his eyes at the accusation, Castro replied in the affirmative.

“Yes,” she said.

Castro also cast doubt on the testimony of witnesses who appeared before the Senate and linked the President to the alleged delivery of cash.

She suggested that some of the witnesses appeared to have been coached before giving their statements.

“Pansinin po ninyo kung papaano nagkaroon ng paghe-hearing, mukhang mayroon pa pong nagko-coach, kumbaga sa korte, bawal po iyan, coaching the witness (Notice how the hearing was conducted. It appeared that someone was coaching the witnesses. In court, that is prohibited),” she said.

“So, lahat pong iyan ay walang katotohanan at marami pong nailagay na pangalan na nagsasabing hindi sila involved at hindi ito nakikita at walang ebidensiyang naipapakita (All of those are false, and many people whose names were mentioned have said they were not involved, did not witness such events, and no evidence has been presented),” she added.

When asked whether the President had a label for the witnesses who made the allegations, Castro said President Marcos preferred not to engage in name-calling.

“Wala, ngingitian lang po iyan dahil alam niya po na ang kasinungalingan ay dapat na hindi manaig dito sa ating bansa (None. He will simply smile because he knows that falsehoods should not prevail in our country),” she said.

“Kailangan natin ang katotohanan (What we need is the truth),” she added.

The Palace also weighed in on the description used by Senator Raffy Tulfo for the 18 individuals claiming to be former Marines who testified before the Senate.

Tulfo referred to the group as the “18 Kargador,” replacing the earlier label “18 ex-Marines.”

Castro said the witnesses could also be described as “18 Maleta Boys” or “18 Basurero.”

“Actually, ‘18 Maleta Boys, 18 Basurero’ – puwede po sila i-describe na ganoon sa ating pananaw (Actually, “18 Maleta Boys” or “18 Garbage Collectors” — they may be described that way from our perspective),” she said.

“Bakit basurero? Hindi ba mga basura ang kanilang sinasabing kinukuha at dinadala (Why garbage collectors? Aren't they claiming they were carrying garbage)?” she added.

The Palace official noted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had earlier requested that the group no longer be referred to as “ex-Marines” since they were no longer in military service when they allegedly worked as bodyguards for former congressman Zaldy Co.

The AFP instead suggested referring to them as “18 witnesses” or “18 bodyguards.”