Malacañang on Wednesday said the heated exchange between Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste was not taken up in a recent meeting with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and should be treated as a personal matter between the two officials.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro made the statement during a press briefing amid questions on the escalating war of words between Recto and Leviste.

Castro said the issue was not discussed during the Executive Secretary’s meeting with the President the previous day.

“Kung mayroon man silang personal na alitan, sa kanilang dalawa na lamang po iyon,” Castro said, adding that Recto had already responded publicly to the allegations.

Responding to questions about whether Malacañang was advising Recto to avoid engaging in the controversy, Castro noted that attention given to the issue may only further amplify it.

Castro also cited Leviste’s own remarks, suggesting he was “enjoying” the attention, saying this reinforced the view that the dispute was personal in nature.

“Oh, di ba ang tanong niyo, dapat bang patulan pa ni ES Ralph Recto? Eh di sana ang mainstream media at ibang mga socmed dapat hindi na rin siya patulan, dahil ang sabi niya ay kulang lamang siya sa pansin.”

The exchange between Recto and Leviste escalated in recent days after the lawmaker accused the Executive Secretary of alleged collusion with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in supposed “ghost” infrastructure projects.

On Tuesday, Recto strongly denied the allegations, calling Leviste a “born liar” and a “bitter brat,” and accused him of attempting bribery and spreading falsehoods through what he described as an artificial intelligence-driven “factory of lies.” He also made allegations involving alleged fictitious solar farm projects.

Malacañang did not directly address the substance of the accusations, reiterating instead that the matter is between the two officials.