Malacañang dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to step down from office on Tuesday, September 15, labeling the demand as completely baseless under the law and detached from reality.
During a press conference, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro pushed back against statements made by Duterte’s spokesperson, Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., who previously urged the President to resign after calling him “out of touch with reality.”
”Definitely, the demand for the President to resign, without any legal basis and in order to put in place the principal of the spokesperson is definitely, absolutely delusional,” Castro said.
Castro stressed that leading the nation demands genuine competence and preparation rather than mere political ambition, citing critical national priorities like the West Philippine Sea and strategic economic initiatives.
”Hindi sapat ang ambisyon para mamuno. Kailangan ang kakayahan, sapat na kaalaman at kahandaan sa mga mabibigat na usapin ng bansa, lalung-lalo na iyong mga strategic initiatives tulad ng West Philippine Sea at ng Pax Silica,” Castro stated.
The Palace official defended the administration against Panelo’s criticisms, which stemmed from Marcos’ recent statement that “you cannot force anyone to love you.”
Castro asserted that critics fail to appreciate the heavy demands of the presidency.
”So, madaling magbintang, madaling magsabi na walang nagagawa ang isang Pangulo, dahil mismo ang nagsasabi nito ay walang nagiging trabaho. Kaya hindi nila nakikita kung gaano kabigat ang mga gawain ng Pangulo at kung paano magtrabaho ang Pangulo,” Castro remarked.
”So, sa mga taong hindi nagtatrabaho, hindi nila nakikita ang taong tunay na nagtatrabaho,” she added.
Clarifying the President’s prior remark, Castro explained that Marcos was addressing Vice President Duterte’s personal animosity toward him rather than brushing off national governance issues.
”Noong sinabi po niya, ‘what can I do? You cannot force anyone to love you,’ nagre-refer po ito sa personal anger ng Bise Presidente na sa pananaw ng Pangulo ay siya iyong target, hindi po ito patungkol sa mga diumanong problema ng gobyerno,” Castro clarified.