Malacañang on Tuesday pushed back against criticism from Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, defending President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and pointing to controversies involving former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro recalled previous statements allegedly made by Duterte in which he admitted to corruption and misuse of public funds, adding that such remarks were delivered publicly and heard by many.
“Does it really need to be emphasized that former President Duterte repeatedly admitted he was corrupt and that he was stealing from public funds,” Castro said.
She also accused the former president of boasting about actions she described as a betrayal of public trust, including alleged corruption and substance abuse, and criticized what she said was insufficient accountability over so-called “ghost projects” first raised in 2020.
Castro said these projects continued until the current administration ordered investigations, which she credited to Mr. Marcos.
The Palace official further cited the controversy involving Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. and businessman Michael Yang during the COVID-19 pandemic, an issue that had been the subject of Senate inquiries under the Duterte administration.
“Do not pin on President Marcos Jr. the corruption allegedly committed by the former president himself,” Castro said, referring to Duterte by his initials.
The remarks came after a statement circulated online attributed to Paolo Duterte criticizing Mr. Marcos.
Malacañang maintained that it remains committed to accountability and transparency, while critics continue to question both past and present administrations over corruption allegations.
