President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday said that reconciliation with the Dutertes is still possible, but made it clear that this cannot happen if conditions are set in advance.
“No, no, no, no, no. That’s not how reconciliation works. You don’t put conditions to reconcile,” the chief executive told reporters seeking clarification on his statement about being open to mending fences with the political clan from Davao.
“If you’re sincere, let’s sit down and talk. What’s the real issue? How did this happen? Let’s remove the problem,” he added.
To recall, Senator Bong Go, a longtime ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, said Mr. Marcos should first work towards the repatriation of the detained leader before the process of reconciliation can begin.
However, the incumbent President rejected that approach outright, saying it would only lead to further conflict.
“If you say, ‘I won’t talk unless you give me this, this, this,’ then it’s over before it even begins. That’s not reconciliation. That’s not even negotiation. That’s just making demands,” he said.
When asked how far he would be willing to go to repair the strained relationship, Mr. Marcos said he’s open to listening to anything, as long as it comes from a place of sincerity.
“If I truly want reconciliation, I’ll listen to whatever they say,” he said.
“If it’s something I can fix, then I’ll fix it — just so this can end. I don’t want enemies,” Mr. Marcos added.
Meanwhile, the President reiterated that he had no role in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, insisting that he does not support the move.
“How many times do I have to say that? I didn’t want impeachment,” Mr. Marcos told reporters during a media interview.
“All my allies in Congress didn’t file the complaint,” he added.
The president’s comments came in response to a question referencing his earlier remarks on his podcast, where he said the public is “tired of politics.”
Furthermore, Mr. Marcos rejected the notion that the upcoming impeachment trial would signal renewed political turmoil.
“I don’t think so,” he simply said.