Marcos: No bad blood with ex-ES Bersamin

There is no bad blood between President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. and former executive secretary Lucas Bersamin even as the latter is no longer part of the former’s Cabinet. 

During a press briefing, Marcos was asked about the remarks made by Bersamin that he was asked to exit the Cabinet, contrary to the announcement of the Presidential Communications Office that the former executive secretary had quit from his post. 

''Well, you know, the question about Chief Luc and myself, wala nag-usap na kami and we understand each other and we decided to keep it between ourselves. There's no bad blood. There is no acrimonious feeling. So, that's fine,'' Marcos said. 

While the President admitted that he felt bad when it was announced that Bersamin resigned, the former Palace official had said he could not blame the PCO for what happened.

''I felt bad somehow but I am not going to waste time worrying about the nuance or way they did it because maybe they're also at instruction or even the pressure na mayroon akong resignation. I cannot blame them for that,'' Bersamin said.

Bersamin earlier said he assumed that the PCO has a basis for its announcement.

Marcos, meanwhile, was also asked about Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, who resigned from her post after her name was dragged into the flood control mess. 

He said if Pangandaman was no longer in the government, she could not, in any way, influence the investigation into the issue. 

''Si Sec. Mina because her name was dragged into the whole thing. So that, you know, it makes it clear that whatever is going on, kung ano man ang mga questioning, kung ano man ang mangyayari (whatever occurs during questioning, whatever could happen) we want to be sure that she's not in a position where she might be suspected of influencing all that,'' Marcos said. 

''Kasi when she's out of government, wala na siyang impluwensiya. So, hindi mo masasabing inayos niya ‘yung kaso niya,'' he added. 

(As she is out of government, she no longer has any influence. So, you could not say she interfered with her case.) —RF, GMA Integrated News