Malacañang on Monday, March 24, said it was the Filipino people who elected President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to office and not former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro refuted social media claims that Duterte was responsible for the political resurgence of the Marcos family.
“Ang nagpabalik po kay Pangulo Marcos ay ang taumbayan po hindi po iisang tao,” Castro said.
“Kung inyo pong matatandaan hindi po ba mismo ang dating Pangulong Duterte ang hindi naniniwala kay Pangulong Marcos, he even said that PBBM is a weak leader. Papaano niya masasabi na inangat niya ang dignidad ni Pangulong Marcos kung siya mismo dati ang nagbababa rito?” Castro added.
The relationship between Marcos and Duterte has been a subject of public speculation, particularly after the latter’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, became Marcos’s running mate in the 2022 elections.
However, recent developments, including Duterte’s critical statements against the Marcos administration, have caused a rift between the two political families.
Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). His arrest was carried out by Interpol, in collaboration with local authorities, on March 11, 2025. (TCSP)
