MANILA – Malacañang clarified that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s “open for reconciliation” remark was not solely for the Dutertes.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, the Chief Executive wants to unite with everyone that has different views from him for the betterment of the country.
Former chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said that for Marcos to reconcile with the Dutertes, he has to bring back former President Rodrigo Duterte from The Hague.
But according to Castro in a media briefing at Malacañang Palace, “Maliwanag ang sinabi ng Pangulo sa lahat ng tao na maaaring hindi kapareho ng kanyang paniniwala, prinsipyo, o ng polisiya.”
“Mas maganda kung lahat ng tao ay makakasundo niya para sa taumbayan, para magkaroon na ng tuloy tuloy na trabaho para sa bansa,” she added. “So huwag nating isentro ang ‘open for reconciliation’ sa mga Duterte.”
President Marcos said in a podcast interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna that he is open to reconciliation as he prefers to have more friends than enemies.
“Oo. Ako, ayoko ng gulo. Gusto ko magkasundo sa lahat ng tao. Marami na akong kaaway. Hindi ko kailangan ng kaaway. Kailangan ko kaibigan,” President Marcos said.
“Ang habol ko ay stability, peace para magawa namin yung trabaho namin. Kaya ako, lagi akong bukas sa ganyan. I’m always open to any approach na ‘halika magtulungan tayo,’” he added.
According to Panelo, Marcos should “ask ICC (International Criminal Court) to bring back the former President here because his position at the very inception was there is no jurisdiction.”
“He has to tell the ICC that his people made a mistake in arresting, detaining and sending to the jail the former president and he is correcting it by asking them to bring him back. And I think that will be a very important reconciliation gesture,” Panelo added./PN
