SINGAPORE — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has described allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte received funding linked to China as a serious national security concern, saying the accusations, if proven true, could threaten the country’s sovereignty and security.
Speaking at a press conference in Singapore on Sunday, October 11, Marcos said authorities were investigating the allegations to establish the facts before drawing conclusions. He stressed that the issue was among the most troubling aspects of the ongoing impeachment proceedings involving the Vice President.
“The most disturbing aspect of it is the Chinese money. That now rises to a national security issue kung totoo. If it is true, it is a national security issue,” Marcos said.
He added that he would welcome evidence disproving the allegations but warned that confirmation of the claims would have serious implications for the country.
“Nothing would make me happier than proof that it is not true. Then it’s one less thing that I have to worry about. But if it is true, it is a threat at the highest level to the Republic,” he stressed.
Marcos defended the Department of National Defense’s decision to investigate the matter, saying the agency has a responsibility to protect the country’s national security. He emphasized that gathering evidence and determining the truth should be the government’s immediate priority.
“So, the first step in dealing with this whole situation, these allegations that are being thrown out, is let’s find the evidence and see what the truth is. That’s what’s important,” he said.
Asked whether he had discussed the allegations with his Chinese counterparts, Marcos declined to speculate, reiterating that the government was conducting a thorough investigation.
He said the matter should not be dismissed as ordinary political controversy because of its potential implications for the country’s sovereignty and the safety of the state.
“I don’t want to speculate on anything because it is such a serious subject that I don’t want to, you know, to waste time on rumor or speculation. But what we are doing is thoroughly investigating this matter, the allegation. Like I said, kung totoo, it’s very, very serious,” Marcos said.
“Kung hindi totoo, ‘di mabuti. Then that’s one less thing we all need to worry about. But if it’s true, it would be unfortunately one more thing that we would have to worry about and it would go straight to the top of our list of threats that are facing the Philippines,” he added.
“Ibang usapan ito. We are talking about the sovereignty of the Republic. We are talking about the safety and security of the state. And I cannot think of any discussion that occurs at a higher level than that. That’s the way we are approaching it,” he further said.
Marcos clarifies remarks about Duterte
The President also clarified that his earlier remark calling someone a liar was not specifically directed at Duterte, but was a reaction to accusations made against him.
Marcos maintained, however, that the Vice President’s claims against him were false. He explained that his comments followed a report presented to him in late September by Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
The report concerned Duterte’s assertion that allegations raised against her by former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. were merely a media stunt intended to revive what she described as a weakening impeachment case.
“No, because she told me. I just got this report and I asked her, ‘Is it true that this report came out?’ And yun ang comment ko sa kanya,” Marcos said.
“Well, it is fake news. Ito na lang. Iyang mga sinasabing, ganito ginagawa, ganoon. Sige, sige, prove it. Based on what? You’re saying that based on what? Based on what? You know, I can’t say to somebody, ‘you’re a mass murderer. You killed 20,000 Filipinos.’ But I have to prove it,” he added.
President says he rarely follows impeachment proceedings
Marcos also brushed aside Duterte’s accusation that his administration was behind the controversies and allegations she was facing, saying he had limited involvement in the impeachment process.
He told reporters that he only watched brief summaries of the proceedings and did not spend hours following the hearings.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t really follow. People ask me, tinatanong ako tungkol sa impeachment. Ang napapanood kong impeachment, yung five minutes na highlights at the end of the day. You think I have time to sit there for hours and hours?” he said.
“I have too much work. Wala naman akong involvement diyan, e. Let the Senate do its work ‘di ba. Ako, ang dami kong ibang kailangang gawin. And so, that’s what I spend my time on,” he added.
The President said his priority remained fulfilling his responsibilities and completing the projects and tasks he had set for his administration, leaving the Senate to handle its role in the impeachment process.
“It’s really not important to me. What’s important to me is that I get the job done. That the work that I put, that I set for myself is actually finished,” he said.
Marcos also pointed out that he had only 19 months remaining in his term, with several goals still to accomplish. He said he intended to focus on his duties as president rather than devote his time to the ongoing political dispute.