Palace: Marcos never said Philippines can't do business with China

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The Palace on Tuesday said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. never said that the country could not do business with China, adding that the issue was whether the money was used to meddle with politics.

Amid accusations of receiving money from China through various organizations, Vice President Sara Duterte said that there was nothing wrong with doing business with Beijing. She raised the issue after Marcos called the transactions a national threat if proven true.

“Kung national threat ang pag-uusapan natin, sinabi niya ay delikado na makipagnegosyo sa China — mayroon bang sinabi ang Pangulo na hindi puwedeng makipagnegosyo ang Pilipinas sa China? Parang wala, so, fake news,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.

(If we are talking about a national threat, and she is talking about doing business with China — did the President say something about the Philippines being prohibited from doing business with China? There is none, so it is fake news.)

“Ang pinag-uusapan dito ay ang pakikipag-negotiate sa ibang bansa na ang pondo kung mapapatunayan ay para pondohan ang pamumulitika nila,” Castro added. (What we are talking about here is the negotiation with other countries for funds that, if proven, is being used for their politicking.)

Castro also pointed out that Duterte allegedly received P150 million from China through her Tapat and Malasakit Foundation, which is not a business in the first place.

“And one more thing, with that statement of the Vice President it means she is really into business with China,” she added.

Military-to-military communications with China

During the same press briefing, Castro was also asked about the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines’ claim that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had shut down military-to-military communications with Beijing.

While Castro deferred the matter to Teodoro himself, she said that China and the Philippines still needed each other in terms of trade.

“Definitely hindi naman natin sinasara ang ating relasyon sa China. Hindi naman po gugustuhin iyan ng Pangulo. Kasi tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang pakikipag-ugnayan natin sa China dahil nais din po natin magpatuloy din iyong trade and investment natin sa bansang China,” Castro said.

(Definitely, we will not close off relations with China. The President does not want that. Our talks with China continue because we want our trade and investment with China to continue.) — RSJ, GMA News