Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks criticizing the administration risk dragging public discourse into a “quicksand of lies,” Malacañang said Thursday, June 11.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains focused on governance despite political attacks rejecting suggestions that his leadership was behind the Senate dispute.
“Ang paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan ay naglalagay sa atin sa isang kumunoy,” Castro said during a press briefing.
[Translation: Repeated lies place us in a quicksand.]
Castro accused Duterte of distorting the narrative and deflecting responsibility from those directly involved in the Senate dispute.
“Habang ang pangulo ay patuloy na nagtatrabaho para ayusin… ang bise presidente ay patuloy sa paninira at binabago ang naratibo,” she said.
[Translation: While the President continues working to fix things… the vice president continues attacking and changing the narrative.]
Malacañang also denied allegations that the executive branch orchestrated the leadership dispute in the Senate.
“Hindi po ito pinag-utos ng pangulo,” Castro said.
[Translation: This was not ordered by the President.]
In an interview in General Santos City, Duterte said the chaos in the Senate reflected the leadership of the administration.
Duterte said a leader without any plans or vision would result in a divided nation, like what is happening in the upper chamber.
