Malacañang on Thursday, June 25, dismissed claims by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could overshadow investigations into other alleged corruption issues, particularly the reported flood control scam.
During a Palace press briefing, Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro challenged Cayetano’s assertion that the administration supposedly wants the Senate to focus solely on the impeachment proceedings, saying there is no basis for such a claim.
“Ano muna yung gusto ng Malacañang?” Castro said when asked about Cayetano’s remarks. “Sino naman po ang nagsabi sa kanya na magkakaroon lang ng focus sa impeachment trial ni Bise Presidente?”
Cayetano had earlier stated in a Facebook Live broadcast that the Senate’s impeachment trial should not derail ongoing investigations into alleged anomalies involving flood control projects. He warned that focusing exclusively on the impeachment case could result in what he described as “selective justice.”
In response, Castro pointed to the continued work of government agencies investigating various issues and pursuing accountability.
“Nakita na po natin kung paano gumalaw ang NBI, ang Ombudsman, ang DOJ. Siguro po, total, mahilig naman po siya mag-socmed. Busy siya sa Facebook. Siguro makikita naman po niya yung mga updates kung ano nangyayari, kung paano gumagalaw at nagtatrabaho ang gobyerno para mapanagot ang dapat na mapanagot,” she said.
The Palace official also stressed that impeachment is not a topic being prioritized in Cabinet discussions.
“Sa totoo, pag nagmi-meeting po ang Pangulo with the Cabinet Secretaries, hindi po napag-uusapan ang impeachment. Saan po kaya hinuhugot ng dating Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano ang kanyang mga kwento?” Castro added.
The issue arose alongside another statement made by Cayetano, in which he alleged that Tindig Pilipinas co-convener Kiko Aquino Dee may have been acting on behalf of the administration when he filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman related to the alleged assistance given to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in evading authorities.
Castro rejected the allegation and emphasized that Aquino Dee is not aligned with the Marcos administration.
“Mababanggit natin si Mr. Kiko Dee Aquino ay hindi po ito maka-PBBM. Isa po siyang madalas mag-criticize sa gobyerno,” she said.
She added that Aquino Dee’s decision to file a complaint stemmed from his own desire to hold public officials accountable, not from any directive from Malacañang.
“Kaya muli, ang sinasabi ni Sen. Alan Cayetano ay puro pang-iintriga. Walang basehan, walang pinaghuhugutan,” Castro said.
Malacañang maintained that government agencies continue to perform their respective mandates independently and that efforts to investigate corruption and other issues remain ongoing regardless of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Duterte.
