By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday called on law enforcement agencies to take appropriate steps against individuals behind a “lousy script and repeated lies” intended to taint President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s reputation.
“Paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan laban sa Pangulo. Lousy script, hindi pang-award winning. Hindi malinis, alam mo na may kasinungalingan (These are repeated lies against the President. It’s a lousy script—not award-winning. It’s not clean; you can tell there are lies),” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters.
Castro was reacting to claims by lawyer Levi Baligod and a group of alleged former members of the Philippine Marine Corps that Marcos was the mastermind behind the alleged flood control corruption schemes.
In a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan City on Tuesday, Baligod presented 18 former Marines who allegedly witnessed deliveries of up to PHP805 billion worth of alleged kickbacks to politicians from anomalous flood control projects.
Castro alluded that Malacañang knows the people behind the latest smear campaign against Marcos.
“Dapat ninyo sigurong malaman, kung sino talaga, alamin ninyo muna at baka kayo—I believe, hindi kayo magugulat (You should probably find out who it really is. Investigate first, and I believe you won’t be surprised)—the same people,” she said.
Asked if the Palace has plans to file charges against fake news purveyors, Castro said it is the job of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to act on the matter.
“Nandiyan ang NBI. Nandiyan ang PNP. Dapat malaman nila ito. (The NBI and the PNP are there—they should know this),” Castro said.
“Obligasyon nilang kasuhan ang mga nagpapakalat ng fake news. Dapat pa ba silang utusan? Hindi po. Obligasyon iyan ng NBI, PNP, DOJ (It is their obligation to file cases against those spreading fake news. Do they still need to be ordered? No. It is the obligation of the NBI, PNP, and DOJ),” she added. (PNA)
