Malacañang has dismissed former President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. intends to declare martial law to extend his time in office. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin rejected the accusation, calling Duterte a “one-man fake news factory.”
“This hoax is another budol emerging from a one-man fake news factory,” Bersamin stated, using the term “budol” to imply that Duterte’s claim is deceptive.
Duterte made the remarks during a rally in Mandaue City, where he warned that Marcos Jr. might follow in the footsteps of his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who declared martial law in 1972. “I bet he will not step down after his term. It will be just like his father’s time. He will impose martial law,” Duterte said.
Bersamin countered the claim, reassuring the public of the Marcos administration’s commitment to democracy and constitutional governance. “As our actions have consistently demonstrated, we will stay the course in upholding the Constitution, in adhering to the rule of law, and in respecting the rights of the people,” he stated.
The Palace also took aim at the previous administration, accusing it of persecuting critics and enabling extrajudicial actions. Bersamin added, “We will not backslide into the oppressive ways of the previous administration, when critics were jailed on trumped-up charges and when kill orders were publicly issued with glee and obeyed blindly.”
The exchange underscores the growing political divide between the Marcos and Duterte camps. Malacañang urged the public to be cautious of misinformation and to rely on credible sources for accurate news.
