MANILA — Malacañang dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that recent tensions in the Senate reflect weak leadership under the Marcos administration.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had no involvement in developments inside the Senate, including the May 13 gunfire incident and the dispute over Senate leadership.

“Ang dapat nating tandaan, ito naman ay nasa records, ang putukan na nangyari sa Senado, hindi po ito pinag-utos ng Pangulo (What we should remember, and this is on record, is that the gunfire incident that happened in the Senate was not ordered by the President),” Castro said.

Castro rejected suggestions that the situation in the Senate reflects a failure of leadership in the executive branch, stressing that the President remains focused on governance and national concerns.

She said Marcos continues to address the needs of Filipinos amid global challenges, including a reported global oil crisis and the recent earthquake in Mindanao.

“Ang paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan ay naglalagay sa atin sa isang kumunoy (Repeated lies place us in quagmire),” Castro said.

“Habang ang Pangulo ay patuloy na nagtatrabaho para ayusin, mabigyan ng mga tulong para mapaganda ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino lalung-lalo na’t may kinakaharap tayong global oil crisis, pati na po ang nangyaring lindol sa Mindanao, patuloy na nagtatrabaho, samantala ang Bise Presidente ay patuloy sa paninira at binabago ang naratibo (While the President continues to work to extend assistance and improve the lives of every Filipino, especially as we face a global oil crisis and the recent earthquake in Mindanao, the Vice President continues to attack and alter the narrative),” she added.

Castro also pointed out that some senators involved in moves to change Senate leadership and influence developments linked to the impeachment proceedings against Duterte are political allies of the Vice President.

“So, ang mga tao sa likod nito, ang lahat ng ito, lahat sila, sila iyong nagsasabing dapat na ibasura ang impeachment, ito ay lahat para sa proteksyon ng Bise Presidente (the people behind all these, the same ones who say that the impeachment should be dismissed, all of this is for the protection of the Vice President),” she said.

“So, hindi totoo na patungkol daw sa kahinaan ng liderato sa administrasyon kung hindi ito ay sa patuloy na pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan para lamang sa kanilang mga kaalyado. So, huwag sanang mamihasa sa pagdudungis ng iba para magmukhang biktima sa ating mga mata (it is not true that this is about weakness in the administration’s leadership. Rather, it is about the continued abuse of power for the benefit of their allies. Let us not make a habit of tarnishing others just to appear as victims in the eyes of the public),” Castro said.

Asked about concerns over the possible impact of Senate tensions on the impeachment proceedings, Castro said the administration is focused on due process and the rule of law.

“Kung may kailangang managot, dapat na managot; kung kailangan na malinis ang pangalan, dapat linisin ang pangalan (If someone needs to be held accountable, they should be held accountable; if a name needs to be cleared, it should be cleared),” she said.

Castro added that the public deserves transparency and that the truth should emerge through proper legal processes.