MALACAÑANG on Tuesday dismissed the impeachment complaint filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a “scripted distraction,” saying the President was not involved in any impeachable offense.
Meanwhile, a Congress leader also said the impeachment case against Mr. Marcos “is weak, unsupported by credible evidence, and unlikely to move forward in the House of Representatives.”
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration had no hand in the filing of the impeachment complaint and accused critics of spreading misinformation to create political intrigue.
“Under the leadership of President Marcos Jr., we respect the Constitution and due process, Castro stressed.
She also rejected claims by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte that the lawyer who filed the impeachment complaint was the same lawyer who represented First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos in a disbarment case.
“That’s fake news,” Castro said, emphasizing that the First Lady did not file a disbarment case and that the lawyer who initiated the impeachment complaint does not represent Mrs. Marcos.
She argued that even if a disbarment case had been filed, it would have been done independently and not on behalf of the First Lady.
The Palace said the grounds cited for impeachment amounted to policy differences, which Castro said did not constitute an impeachable offense under the Constitution.
“If that is the grounds for impeachment that they have stated for our President, they will likely not find any other reason,” Castro noted.
In a separate interview with DZBB radio earlier, Castro said President Marcos would not intervene in the impeachment proceedings, even if his son, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, plays a key role in the House of Representatives.
She gave assurance that the President wanted his son to act strictly in accordance with law and would not interfere in congressional proceedings.
The younger Marcos chairs the House Committee on Rules, which oversees matters related to Congress procedures, including impeachment proceedings.
The Palace reiterated that impeachment is a constitutional process under the authority of Congress and said the administration remains committed to respecting the rule of law and democratic institutions.
House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chairman Zia Alonto Adiong said.
Adiong emphasized that impeachment is the most serious constitutional power lodged in Congress and should never be treated as a political weapon or publicity tool.
“Impeachment is the heaviest constitutional weapon available to Congress. It cannot—and must not—be wielded on the basis of recycled accusations, hearsay, or purely political grievances,” Adiong said.
“This particular complaint appears crafted more for media consumption than for serious constitutional scrutiny. The House will not treat impeachment as a mere press statement or partisan maneuver. We will demand substance, and in this instance, substance is conspicuously absent,” he added.
The lawmaker said the accusations against the President relied largely on long-standing claims repeatedly aired by critics, but never supported by new or verifiable evidence.
“In stark contrast, the accusations directed at President Marcos Jr. rely almost entirely on long-standing claims from vocal critics—claims that have already been repeatedly aired in public without producing new, verifiable evidence capable of withstanding constitutional muster,” Adiong said.
He noted that no parallel House investigation has been conducted, no documents have been subpoenaed, and no proof has been presented to support the allegations.
“There has been no parallel House investigation, no subpoenaed documents, and no smoking-gun proof presented. This is politics dressed up as impeachment, and it will not succeed,” he said.
“Any impeachment article must allege and substantiate at least one of the specific impeachable offenses enumerated in the 1987 Constitution: culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust,” he said.
“Vague assertions and political dissatisfaction do not meet that standard. The House leadership and the majority recognize this reality. This effort is unlikely to even reach the plenary for a vote on endorsement,” Adiong added.
He said the House remains committed to protecting due process and exercising its impeachment powers responsibly.
“The Filipino people deserve governance focused on results, not endless political spectacle,” Adiong said.
“The House will continue to discharge its constitutional duties with the seriousness and impartiality the nation expects.”
