Palace says Marcos not worried with protest actions

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is not worried with the upcoming protest actions over alleged corruption and irregularities in flood control projects, Malacañang said Tuesday.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked if the scheduled protest actions was a factor or consideration why Marcos opted to skip the United Nations General Assembly this month in New York. 

''Ang pagpuprotesta naman ay natural. Normal iyan sa bawat bansa kung may mga sentimyento ang mga kababayan natin. Hindi naman po nangangamba ang Pangulo dahil alam po niya na ang pagpuprotesta ng taumbayan ay tungkol sa paglaban sa korapsiyon,'' Castro said.

(Protest actions are natural. That's normal especially if the citizens have sentiments. The President is not worried since he knows that the protests are for fighting against corruption.) 

''At binanggit din po niya kahapon na siya mismo ang nagsimula upang mapaimbestigahan itong mga maanomalyang flood control projects. So, hindi po nangangamba ang Pangulo sa gagawing protesta dahil alam po niya na ang magpuprotesta dito ay kakampi rin po niya, kakampi sa kaniyang adhikain,'' she added.

(He also mentioned yesterday that he himself started the call to investigate these anomalous flood control projects. So, the President is not worried in these protest actions because he knows that those protesting were on his side, and with the same goals as his.) 

Asked if there is a threat to the President's life, Castro said there is none. 

''Maliban po sa naging pagbabanta dati ng Bise Presidente sa buhay ng Pangulo, base po sa National Security Council ADG (Assistant Director General) Cornelio Valencia, wala po na direct threat sa buhay ng Pangulo,” Castro said.

(Aside from the previous threat made by the Vice President, there's no direct threat to the life of the President according to National Security Council Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia.) 

Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez had said the President intends to focus on domestic matters instead of attending the UNGA. 

''The President has delegated his engagements at the UNGA to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to allow him to focus on local issues,'' Gomez said. 

Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro will instead represent the country in UNGA, the Department of Foreign Affairs had said. 

Marcos has since created an Independent Commission for Infrastructure ahead of protests against graft planned on Sept. 21.

On Monday, Marcos said that if he is not the President, ''I might be out in the streets with them.''

Marcos emphasized that the public should really be angry with the revelations over these faulty flood control projects, adding that it has been his aspiration to solve the issue as he was the one who ''brought this up.''  — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News