Resignation 'not an option' for Marcos — Palace

Malacañang on Tuesday said stepping down from the highest seat in government is "not an option" for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., even as it denounced calls for his resignation from supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte as mere "noise."

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro issued the statement in a media briefing, where she also said the President has no plans to take legal action against his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, following her accusations that he and members of the First Family were involved in illegal drug use.

"Lahat naman ata ng supporters ng Vice President ang nais ay paalisin sa puwesto ang Pangulo... Option ba ito? The President is still working and keeps on working for the country, so hindi option sa administration, sa Pangulo, ang pagbibitiw," said Castro.

(Almost all of the Vice President's supporters want the President out of office. Is this an option? The President is still working and keeps on working for the country so it is not an option for the administration and the President to resign.)

"Ang Pangulo ay matapang na haharapin kung ano man ang suliranin ng bansa at silang mga nag-iingay, sila ay ingay lamang," she added.

(The President will bravely face the country's issues and those who are making noise, are just making noise.)

No legal action

Speaking at the rally of the Iglesia Ni Cristo at the Quirino Grandstand on Monday evening, Imee accused her brother, the First Family, and some of the President's friends of using illicit drugs. Earlier in the day, she dared Marcos Jr. to take a hair follicle drug test to belie the allegations.

"Let's just wait and see. As of now, we do not have a plan of making any legal action against her. Let's just wait," Castro said.

"Let us check first all the facts and statements that she made. It is up to the Department of Justice or maybe the Ombudsman, if they will make any initiative to investigate the matter," she added.

The Malacanang official previously rejected the senator's accusations as a "desperate move."

"Ang mga magdududa lang po rito ay iyong mga hindi gagamit ng kanilang isipan para alamin ang katotohanan. Matagal nang isyu ang mga ibinabato sa Pangulo, ito po ay napasinungalingan natin," she said.

(People who will doubt the President are those who will not use their minds to seek the truth. This issue has been raised against the President before, and we already debunked this.)

"Hindi ito makakasira sa Pangulo dahil mas maraming naniniwala sa mga ginagawa ng Pangulo para sugpuin ang korupsyon," Castro added.

(This will not affect the President because a lot more people believe the President's actions against corruption.)

Also on Tuesday, Castro told Dobol B TV that Imee wants to oust her brother to advance the senator's "Team Itim."

The President's sister had a political advertisement back in April where she was endorsed by the Vice President as they dubbed themselves as "Team Itim."

Party support

Meanwhile, Marcos' political party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), expressed its full support for the President amid allegations of corruption leveled by former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co.

In a statement Tuesday signed by PFP national president South Cotabato Governor Reynado Tamayo, the party said its members remain united in upholding the Marcos administration's stance against corruption.

"The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas reiterates its strong belief and support for our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. We categorically denounce the accusations made by Zaldy Co regarding the involvement of the President in the alleged budget insertions pertaining to the flood control investigation," the party said.

Co has released a series of videos alleging Marcos' hand in facilitating kickbacks off infrastructure projects. In his first video, Co claimed that Marcos Jr. orchestrated P100 billion in "fund insertions" in the proposed 2025 national budget. 

He alleged in his second video that he, his staff, and his security personnel personally delivered suitcases of cash to Marcos and the latter's cousin, former Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez. The former party-list representative also claimed that the President received 25% of P100 billion as kickbacks.

A third video on Sunday showed Co accusing Marcos and Romualdez of receiving up to P56 million in kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.

However, the PFP condemned Co's statements, saying Marcos would not allow such actions especially since he gave the order to investigate the flood control mess.

"The allegations put forward by Zaldy CO against the President are entirely groundless. We challenge Mr. Co to return to the country to verify and substantiate his statement. We urge him to stop making baseless and unjust accusations without any proof," the PFP said.

It added, "PFP remains united in upholding the Marcos Administration's firm stances AGAINST corruption." 

Support for Marcos

The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), for its part, issued a resolution expressing support to the administration of Marcos Jr.

"The LPP expresses full support to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.," the resolution stated.

"The LPP encourages its member-provinces and their governors to remain steadfast in promoting peace, stability, and accountable governance, and to work closely with national authorities in safeguarding our institutions and upholding the Constitution, democracy, and the rule of law," it added.

The resolution was signed by LPP Secretary-General Henry Oaminal, National Chairperson Dakila Cua, and National President Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.

Copies were furnished to the offices of the President, Senate President, House Speaker, Chief Justice, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of the Department of Justice, and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. — VDV/RF, GMA Integrated News