The Palace contested the impeachment defense team’s argument that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s extended olive branch to individuals with whom he did not see eye-to-eye was an indication that Vice President Sara Duterte’s threat to his and his wife’s lives was not a grave one.

In a Thursday press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro countered the argument, describing it as “shallow” and incoherent, citing the gravity of Duterte’s proclamation that she had hired a killer to target the Marcoses and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Ganoon po kababaw talaga ang kanilang argumento? Medyo parang malayo po iyon at hindi konektado,” she said.

“Kapag ikaw ay nakipag-usap sa isang killer at umayon siya na siya ay papatay, it’s already a crime… Hindi ito patungkol lang sa isang maliit na grave threats, patungkol ito sa kapasidad ng tao kung kaya mo bang mamuno gamit ang utak mo, puso mo. Iyon ang usapin dito, so hindi dapat ito iligaw,” she explained.

As for the defense team’s claim that Marcos had outright expressed willingness to reconcile with Duterte and her family, the Palace official argued that the official statement broadly encompassed anyone he was not on good terms with.

“Patungkol doon sa sinasabing gustong makipag-reconcile, ang tanong po kasi … ay kung willing ba (siyang) makipag-reconcile sa mga Duterte. Ang sagot ng Pangulo ay ‘Opo’ sa lahat ng maaaring hindi pa sumasang-ayon sa kaniya—hindi ito partikular lamang sa mga Duterte. Ang sabi ng Pangulo, ayaw niya ng kaaway kaya naman kaya niya at ready siyang makipag-reconcile sa lahat,” Castro emphasized.

In a podcast episode shared through his official social media, President Marcos said he was ready to bury the hatchet with his political opponents.

“Ayaw ko ng gulo. Gusto ko makasundo (ang) lahat ng tao. Mas maganda. Marami na akong kaaway. Hindi ko kailangan ng kaaway. Kailangan ko, kaibigan,” he said last year.