The Marcos administration on Monday strongly refuted Vice President Sara Duterte’s assertion that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is grappling with a “deep crisis of confidence,” arguing that she is attempting to present herself as blameless despite issues tied to her own tenure.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed Duterte’s claims after the vice president released a video accusing the administration of lacking direction in addressing corruption linked to the flood-control controversy. Castro said Marcos had already initiated internal probes into corruption, including alleged “ghost projects” dating back to 2020, and urged Duterte to clarify issues involving the Department of Education during her leadership.
Duterte earlier alleged that billions of pesos were funneled through questionable budget insertions and said she resigned as education secretary after witnessing lawmakers’ alleged manipulation of agency funds. She warned that the president now faces a serious crisis of public trust and expressed solidarity with Filipinos angered by corruption. Her statement came as Iglesia ni Cristo staged massive protests drawing more than 650,000 participants.
Meanwhile, in an interview with NewsWatch Plus, House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio said Duterte’s camp appears to be leveraging accusations made by former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co against Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. However, Tinio noted the public has not been responsive, saying many also view the Duterte camp as implicated in corruption.
