Malacañang on Monday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would not resist any impeachment complaint filed against him, underscoring that he views the process as a constitutional mechanism rather than a political provocation.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President’s position reflects his respect for the Constitution and the institutions tasked with enforcing it. She cautioned that impeachment should not be reduced to spectacle or used as a publicity tactic, describing it as a grave procedure that demands seriousness and evidence.
The Palace’s remarks came amid renewed impeachment talk involving both the President and Vice President Sara Duterte, a development that has exposed deepening rifts within what was once the UniTeam political alliance.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Edgar Erice earlier disclosed that he had been approached by individuals seeking his endorsement for a possible impeachment complaint against Marcos. The alleged grounds included “betrayal of public trust” in connection with the 2026 General Appropriations Act and the implementation of multibillion-peso flood control projects that are now being scrutinized by the Senate.
Castro said these claims did not amount to a valid case, stressing that no impeachment complaint against the President has been formally filed in the House of Representatives. She rejected allegations of misconduct, arguing that Marcos had not misappropriated public funds and had, in fact, ordered investigations into flood control projects suspected of being riddled with corruption.
She also dismissed insinuations linking the President to questionable intermediaries, pointing out that such claims lacked factual basis and were rooted in speculation.
In defending the administration’s handling of the national budget, Castro said Marcos had introduced safeguards in the 2025 and 2026 budgets to strengthen oversight. These included provisions for conditional implementation and allocations labeled “for later release,” which she said were designed to ensure that funds would only be disbursed once accountability requirements were met.
According to Castro, the President remains confident that lawmakers would evaluate any impeachment complaint on its merits. She said he believed there were still members of Congress capable of separating legal standards from political noise.
At the same time, attention has shifted back to Vice President Duterte, with Makabayan bloc lawmakers announcing plans to file a new impeachment complaint once the one-year constitutional prohibition expires on February 5. The move revives unresolved allegations surrounding Duterte’s use of confidential and intelligence funds, as well as claims of illicit financing that have circulated since last year.
Castro rejected assertions that impeachment threats against the President were being floated to distract from the Vice President’s controversies. She described such narratives as attempts to evade scrutiny rather than address substantive accusations.
Calling impeachment a “serious matter,” Castro said public officials facing allegations should confront them directly. She urged Duterte’s allies to engage with the issues raised against her instead of redirecting blame toward the President.
The Palace acknowledged that Marcos had previously advised lawmakers against impeaching Duterte, citing concerns that it would consume legislative time and derail lawmaking. Castro said this position has since shifted as investigations into anomalous flood control projects have expanded.
She relayed that the President had expressed the view that any impeachment complaint—regardless of the official involved—should be evaluated under the same standards of evidence, transparency, and accountability, and that he would not interfere with Congress’ constitutional role in the process.
