Palace slams Marcos resignation push as ‘absolutely delusional’

MANILA, Philippines — Palace press officer Claire Castro on Tuesday called “absolutely delusional” the call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to step down from office.

This came after Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson, Paolo Panelo Jr., said Monday that Marcos is “trivializing” Duterte’s “serious accusations” against him, claiming this proved that he is out of touch with reality and not fit for office.

READ: Duterte camp: Marcos ‘out of touch with reality, not fit for office’

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Duterte’s spokesperson was referring to Marcos’ earlier comments on Duterte’s derogatory remarks, in which she called him corrupt and a drug addict, among others.

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In an interview in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Marcos said he lacked an appropriate response to Duterte’s anger, adding that “you cannot force anyone to love you.”

Castro, in a briefing, defended Marcos’ “cannot force to love” statement, saying he was only referring to Duterte’s anger towards him and not on the alleged problems of the government.

“So, definitely, the demand for the president to resign without any legal basis and in order to put in place the principal of the spokesperson is definitely, absolutely delusional,” Castro said.

“Ambition alone is not enough to lead; one needs competence, sufficient knowledge, and readiness to handle the country’s weighty issues — especially strategic initiatives such as the West Philippine Sea and Pax Silica,” she said.

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She said it is easy to cast blame and claim that Marcos is doing nothing, simply because the people making such accusations do not have jobs themselves.

Panelo and Castro

Panelo is the founder and managing partner of the Panelo Law Office and represents Duterte in specific legal matters, including cases involving her former aide, Ramil Madriaga.

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When asked about her thoughts about Panelo, with whom she might often find herself at odds over their statements, Castro said she was simply doing her job by countering what she described as fake news directed at the administration.

“I will just make a response to all allegations that maybe given without any basis. And that is my job. That is my mandate, to refute all the fake news and all the misinformation that maybe coming from critics or from the Duterte supporters like him,” she said. /das