On Friday, the Philippine presidential palace Malacañang emphasized that President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. was not aware of the alleged kickback accusations involving water resources and flood control projects, describing the claims as purely defamatory and untrue.
Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro refuted the accusations at a press conference, stating that reports of the president's alleged knowledge are "nothing but lies" aimed at tarnishing the president's reputation. She reiterated that Marcos has always been committed to promoting accountability and transparency, focusing on national development.
She stated that all corruption allegations currently directed at the president are fully denied and that any baseless smears should not be used as "weapons" to undermine public trust in the government.
The accusations stem from an alleged series of text messages involving the president and former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief **Adrian Bersamin**, which reportedly contain clues suggesting the president was aware of the kickback scheme. In response, Castro pointed out that without concrete evidence, no definitive verification could be made.
She also stated the palace would respect Congress's proposed investigation into the relevant communication records. As for whether the government would encourage the former officials implicated in the scandal to testify, Castro said the government would not force anyone to give testimony.