Marcos: Sara Duterte’s smear campaign claims ‘fake news’

SINGAPORE — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday dismissed as “fake news” Vice President Sara Duterte’s allegation that his administration was behind efforts to discredit her, challenging her to present evidence to support her accusations.

“Well, it is fake news! … Prove it! Based on what?” Marcos said during a Kapihan interview in Singapore on the final day of his five-day working visit.

The president was responding to questions about Duterte’s accusation that his administration was behind allegations raised by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who claimed to have delivered large sums of cash to the Vice President and members of her family.

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Marcos denied involvement in the controversy, saying he was more focused on completing his administration’s priorities than following political exchanges surrounding Duterte.

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“I have no involvement in that,” he said, speaking in Filipino.

READ: Marcos: VP Duterte China-linked funds ‘threat at highest level’ if true

He also stressed the need to establish the facts behind the allegations before drawing conclusions.

“The first step in dealing with this whole situation, these allegations that are being thrown out, is let’s find the evidence and see what the truth is. That’s what’s important,” Marcos said.

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The president said he did not closely follow the proceedings involving Duterte, including her impeachment case, because of his responsibilities as chief executive.

“I don’t really follow. To tell you the truth, I don’t really follow,” he said.

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“What’s important to me is that I get the job done,” Marcos added.

Marcos also clarified that his earlier “buwaon,” or “liar,” remark was not directed at Duterte but was his reaction to a proposal to amend the Constitution to cancel elections.

“That’s my reaction! My reaction was to changing the Constitution to cancel the elections!” Marcos said.

Asked why Palace press officer Claire Castro had presented the remark as a response to Duterte, the president said there had apparently been a misunderstanding over his private reaction.

“I didn’t, no! Don’t know why Claire said it,” he said.

Marcos said Castro apparently mistook his comment for a statement intended for public release.

“It’s not particularly a reaction to anything. It’s not the official… official press release,” he said.

The president maintained that allegations against public officials must be supported by evidence.

“I can say to somebody, ‘You’re a mass murderer, you killed 20,000 Filipinos.’ But I have to prove it,” Marcos said.

READ: Malacañang denies Sara Duterte’s claim of Palace smear drive

Duterte earlier accused the Marcos administration of orchestrating a campaign to discredit her after Gracioso alleged that he had delivered large amounts of cash to her and members of her family.

The vice president denied knowing Gracioso or receiving money from him, disputing details of his account.

The allegations have added to tensions between Marcos and Duterte, whose political alliance deteriorated after they won the 2022 elections.

Marcos, however, said he had no interest in closely following the political exchanges and was concentrating on completing his administration’s remaining priorities.

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“Finishing what we have begun, or continuing what we have begun, is the last thought I have in my head before I go to sleep. It is the first thought that goes into my head when I wake up in the morning,” he said. /das