Palace: Marcos left to clean up Duterte administration's mess

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his administration have been left to clean up the mess allegedly left by his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said Wednesday.

During a press conference in Singapore, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro responded to remarks by Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., who accused the Marcos administration of passing the blame for its problems, including its corruption woes, on the Dutertes.

“Ang Pangulo, hindi natutulog sa isyu ng korapsyon. Siya ang naglilinis sa kalat na ginawa ng nakaraang administrasyon. ‘Mahiya naman kayo.’ Iyan ang sabi ng Pangulo," Castro said.

(The President is not turning a blind eye to corruption. He is cleaning up the mess left by the previous administration. “You should be ashamed,” the President said.)

"Na hindi naganap at hindi nangyari sa panahon ni dating Pangulong Duterte, kahit alam niya na maraming ghost projects,” she added.

(This [anti-corruption stance by a leader] did not happen during the time of former President Duterte, even though he knew there were many ghost projects.)

Castro said the late Camarines Sur Representative Rolando Andaya Jr. had already flagged anomalous infrastructure projects as early as 2018.

“Ano ang ginawang pag-iimbestiga sa mga korapsyong naganap noon? So ngayon, sino ang hindi alam ang issue tungkol sa corruption? At ang principal niya mismo ay nasusuong sa isyu ng corruption. Kaya nga po dinidinig,” Castro said.

(What investigation was conducted into the corruption that happened before? So now, who is unaware of the corruption issue? And her principal herself is facing corruption allegations. That is why these issues are being heard.)

“Hindi po naman pwedeng hindi balikan ang mga basura ng nakaraang administrasyon,” Castro said.

(We cannot simply ignore the mess left by the previous administration.)

Castro cited issues involving Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), the Pharmally scandal and Duterte’s own statements about corruption.

POGOs became a major subject of congressional investigations over allegations that some operators were involved in human trafficking, illegal detention, prostitution, cyber-scamming and money laundering.

The POGO industry had been legalized under Duterte through Republic Act No. 11590 in 2021. The Marcos administration later ordered a ban on POGO operations in 2024.

The Pharmally controversy involved billions of pesos worth of government purchases of COVID-19 medical supplies during the Duterte administration.

Senate investigators questioned contracts awarded by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., a relatively small company that received more than P10 billion in government contracts.

In November 2020, Duterte ordered an audit of Department of Public Works and Highways projects and said “ghost projects” were a major source of corruption in the agency.

Castro said the current Marcos administration could not simply turn its back on these issues.

“Hindi niya maipipikit ang kanyang mata sa ghost projects na inamin ni dating Pangulong Duterte. Ano ang gagawin natin doon? Pipikit tayo? Magbubulag-bulagan tayo? Magbibingi-bingihan tayo?” she said.

(He cannot simply close his eyes to the ghost projects that former President Duterte admitted to. What are we supposed to do about them? Close our eyes? Pretend not to see? Pretend not to hear?)

GMA News has reached out to the camp of former President Duterte for comment.— MCG, GMA News

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