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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Just friendly talks': Palace explains First Lady-Cayetano interaction

'Just friendly talks': Palace explains First Lady-Cayetano interaction

Malacañang says First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano were engaged in a casual conversation, not a political discussion

Published Jun 9, 2026 04:40 pm
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos | Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos | Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
The interaction between First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano at a reception dinner was "just friendly talks," Malacañang said.
Cayetano and the First Lady were spotted engaged in a conversation during a dinner reception organized by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) on Monday night, June 8.
According to Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro, given the First Lady's character, her conversation with Cayetano was most likely exchanges of pleasantries.
"Unang-una, hindi po natin katabi si First Lady, hindi po natin alam kung ano ang kanilang pinag-usapan. But definitely, sa pagiging mabait po ng ating Unang Ginang, normally it’s just friendly talks na, I mean, kumustahan. The way I see it po ha, ganoon po ang First Lady, sa aking pagkakakilala (First of all, we were not beside the First Lady, so we do not know what they talked about. But given the kindness of our First Lady, it was most likely just a friendly conversation, a casual exchange of greetings and pleasantries. That is how I see it, based on what I know of the First Lady)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, June 9.
The Palace mouthpiece added that conversation probably did not involve politics.
"Pero walang masasabi nating pulitika (But there is nothing that we can say was political in nature)," she said.
The First Lady was seen seated two seats away from Cayetano during the event. Cayetano was also spotted approaching the First Lady before they engaged in a conversation.
Their meeting happened on the same day the senator said that there were already two upper chambers—the Senate of the Philippines and the Senate of Malacañang. This, amid the ongoing leadership dispute in the Senate between him and acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.

Related Tags

First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos Alan Peter Cayetano FFCCCII Malacañang Senate Claire Castro
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