Malacañang clarified on Thursday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s criticisms of the Duterte administration during campaign rallies are his way of demonstrating strong leadership.
Presidential Communications Office and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro addressed the matter during a briefing, emphasizing that Marcos is simply expressing his thoughts openly.
“In all the campaign rallies he attends, the President and his candidates focus on their proposed programs and projects for national progress,” Castro said in an Inquirer.net report.
She added that Marcos occasionally needs to be candid with his sentiments to show the public that he “is not and will never be a weak leader.”
The remarks come amid past criticisms from former President Rodrigo Duterte, who in 2021 labeled Marcos a “weak leader,” citing his privileged upbringing.
