Metro Manila, Philippines – Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin contradicted Malacañang’s announcement that he resigned “out of delicadeza” and was instead informed he would be replaced.
“I didn’t file any resignation. What came out – I just read it – was that I resigned out of delicadeza. It sounds nice, out of delicadeza, but it’s not true. I didn’t resign,” Bersamin told reporters in a phone interview on Nov. 19.
The former Palace official said he was notified early Monday by “a very close friend” that the president had decided he should leave his post.
“I’ve been in government for so long… so sabi ko walang problema ’yan [so I said that’s not a problem]. I will accept that because I am only serving at the pleasure of the president,” he said.
He said the only letter he signed – acknowledging he was stepping aside – was submitted late Tuesday afternoon, a day after the Palace announced he had resigned.
Bersamin questioned the pronouncement of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) that he resigned even before he sent any letter.
“You ask them kung bakit nila (ginawa) without consulting me [You ask them why they did that without consulting me]. The messaging should be clear,” he said. “I felt bad somehow but… maybe they were also under instruction.”
He added that while he assumed PCO officials “had their own basis,” he said “I am disputing the statement that I resigned, because I did not.”
Bersamin also addressed allegations linking him and his nephew, former Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, to supposed multibillion-peso budget “insertions.”
“Wala akong alam [I know nothing about that],” he said when asked about claims of a ₱52-billion insertion and suggestions that he masterminded it.
“Hindi namin ginagawa ’yan [We don’t do that],” he said, adding that the Office of the Executive Secretary “does not have anything to do” with insertions in other agencies’ budgets.
Asked if he is willing to face a formal investigation to clear his name, Bersamin replied: “’Wag na [No need]. If ever they want to charge me as the mastermind… whatever case they want to file, they file it.”
