Malacañang on Wednesday rejected accusations from former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who claimed he was “forced to leave the country” and could not forgive the Marcos administration for the circumstances of his departure.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed Roque’s statements as “baseless” and “obstructionist.”
“I didn’t want to respond anymore, but I have to because the public might think there’s truth to it,” Castro said. “It seems like he’s blaming the President and this administration for what happened to him. But the real question is: where is his proof?”
Castro cited Roque’s transactions and disclosures that she said happened independently of the President, including his reported dealings with Whirlwind Corporation and Lucky South 99, and the opening of a joint account with an individual identified as AR Dela Cerna. She added that Roque voluntarily submitted documents such as his SALN, tax records, and an estate settlement contract.
“All of this came from him,” Castro said. “The President was not with him during these transactions or disclosures. So how can he blame the administration?” She urged Roque and others she described as obstructionist to stop spreading misleading narratives and “start acting like true Filipinos.”
