Palace unsure if Duterte’s let bygones be bygones quip is for Hidilyn's inclusion to matrix

Malacañang on Thursday said it was unsure if President Rodrigo Duterte asked first Filipino Olympic gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz to "let bygones be bygones" over her inclusion in the “Oust Duterte” matrix in May 2019.

“Hindi ko po sigurado (I'm not sure if he was referring to the matrix), pero kung meron mang hinanakit si Hidilyn (but if Hidilyn was offended), whatever it is, the President said let bygones be bygones,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said when asked on the matter.

In her interview with a Filipino journalist right after she won the unprecedented gold medal for the Philippines in the weightlifting 55 kilogram division, Diaz mentioned being included in the matrix as one of the challenges she had to overcome to reach the Olympic summit.

Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo has apologized to Diaz for hurting her feelings, but not for presenting the matrix to the media saying he was just instructed by the President to do so.

Diaz, for her part, said that she has forgiven the people who linked her to the matrix for her peace of mind.

Diaz  is set to receive millions worth of prizes for winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal, including P3 million from President Duterte.—AOL, GMA News