Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang neither confirmed nor denied reports that Vice President Sara Duterte sought a private meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and only said the president remains open to talking with anyone despite political differences.
“Wala po tayong makukumpirma patungkol po diyan dahil wala naman din pong ibinababa sa atin na anumang impormasyon kung mayroon ngang ganiyang kaganapan. So, sa ngayon ay wala tayong makukumpirma,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a Palace briefing on Monday, Aug. 17.
[Translation: We cannot confirm anything about that because there is no information relayed to us on whether such a development has indeed taken place. So, for now, we cannot confirm anything.]
Castro refused to answer a hypothetical question on whether Marcos would grant such a request, if there was one, but recalled an earlier statement by the president that he was willing to talk even with those who disagreed with him.
“Pero ang sabi ng pangulo sa una pa lang niyang podcast, kahit sino, sa lahat na maaaring hindi sumasang-ayon sa kanya, siya ay bukas upang makipag-usap para magkaroon ng magandang pagkakaintindihan,” Castro said.
[Translation: But as the president said in his first podcast, he is open to talking with anyone, including those who may disagree with him, to have a good understanding.]
Castro said the statement was not directed at a specific person.
“Hindi partikular para kay bise presidente, baka kasi magkaroon na naman ng misinterpretation at misunderstanding sa ating mga ginawang katugunan ngayong araw na ito,” she said.
[Translation: This is not specifically for the vice president because our responses today might again be misinterpreted or misunderstood.]
Pressed on whether Marcos remained open to reconciling or working with Duterte in light of their political fallout, Castro said: “Sa lahat ng kababayan natin, sa lahat ng tao ay open ang pangulo.”
[Translation: The president is open to all our countrymen, to everyone.]
Duterte has yet to publicly comment on the reported request for a private meeting with Marcos.
Marcos and Duterte ran under the UniTeam in the 2022 elections, but their political alliance later collapsed amid widening differences between the Marcos and Duterte camps.
Duterte resigned as education secretary and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in June 2024, marking her formal exit from the Cabinet.
