Palace advises gov’t officials tagged in anomalies: Quit out of delicadeza

Malacanang on Monday advised other government officials who might be involved in anomalies to consider resigning from their posts out of delicadeza in order to give way to an in-depth probe of the allegations.

Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro made the remarks following the resignation of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman after they were mentioned in the controversy over flood control projects.

In a press briefing, Castro was asked if the Palace will issue a call to other Cabinet members to quit their posts if they are involved in the flood control anomalies.

“Kung alam po halimbawa po ng isang miyembro ng Gabinete na siya po ay may kinalaman o maaari siyang masangkot sa ganitong klaseng anomalya, nanaisin po ng Pangulo na sila po mismo ang mag-resign out of delicadeza,” the Palace official said.

(If for example, a Cabinet member has knowledge or might be involved in this kind of anomaly, the President would want that they resign out of delicadeza.)

In the same briefing, Castro announced the exit of Bersamin and Pangandaman from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet after the Chief Executive accepted their resignations. 

It may be recalled that in September, Bersamin denied the imputation of former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo about a supposed 15% commitment to the Office of the Executive Secretary related to P2.85 billion worth of projects that would tap unprogrammed funds in the national budget.

Bersamin said his office had no involvement with budgetary allocations relevant to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Pangandaman, on the other hand, was mentioned by ex-Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co in the first part of his video expose as the one who relayed Marcos’ alleged instruction to insert P100 billion in the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference committee hearings.

In a press briefing last week, the then Budget Secretary dismissed Co’s claims and said the President’s instructions for appropriations were already contained in the National Expenditure Program.

She added that the executive branch respects the budget process, especially the bicameral conference committee, which is the prerogative of Congress.

Bersamin’s nephew, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, also tendered his resignation to Marcos, which the President also accepted.

Castro said the younger Bersamin’s resignation was also out of delicadeza.

Co mentioned the younger Bersamin in his video expose, claiming that Pangandaman told him that he could confirm the President’s instructions with the PLLO chief, who was present during the meeting with the President.

Brave Cabinet secretaries

In the same press briefing, Castro said Co’s claims may have prompted the Cabinet members to voluntarily quit their posts to allow for an impartial investigation.

“Kung anuman ang kaniyang mga nasabi ay maaaring ito ang nagbigay ng dahilan para sa dalawang mga magigiting nating mga secretaries na sila mismo ang boluntaryong mag-resign sa kanilang posisyon para mabigyang-daan ang malalimang pag-iimbestiga sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects,” she said.

(Whatever he said may have given our brave secretaries a reason to voluntarily resign from their posts to give way for a thorough investigation of the anomalous flood control projects.)

Castro added that the investigation would not exempt anyone, not even Marcos.

“Wala naman talagang dapat ma-exempt. Pero ang Pangulo alam po niya ang kaniyang ginagawa. Alam po niya kung bakit niya pinaiimbestigahan at pinangunahan ang malalimang pag-iimbestiga na ito,” she said.

(No one should be exempted. But the President knows what he is doing. He knows why he ordered the investigation and led the in-depth probe.)

“So ibig sabihin po, kung siya mismo ang nag-utos na mag-imbestiga, alam po natin na malinis ang kaniyang hangarin at gusto niya talagang masawata ang korapsiyon,” Castro added.

(So it means, if he ordered the invesrtigation, we know that his intentions are clean and he truly wants to end corruption.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News