MANILA – Malacañang dismissed former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson’s challenge to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to a public debate on corruption.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in an interview with DZMM on Tuesday that such a confrontation would neither solve the problem nor be a productive use of the President’s time.
“Napaka-busy ng Pangulo. Pag-aaral pa lang ng budget walang bakasyon. Ang pagdedebate ay hindi sagot para maibsan ang corruption…Ang sagot dito ay aksyon, hindi bakasyon,” Castro said.
Castro added that calls for a debate should have been raised much earlier, particularly during the previous administration, when corruption issues were publicly acknowledged.
The Palace official made the remarks in response to Singson’s call for a “one time, big time” rally against the Marcos administration and his dare for the President to publicly face him over corruption allegations.
Beyond rejecting the debate challenge, Castro also warned that Singson’s appeal to depose the President could carry legal consequences, describing it as potentially inciting to sedition.
“For me, my take, it is inciting to sedition. As a lawyer, ‘yung pag-engganya niya na patalsikin ang Pangulo is inciting to sedition,” she said. “Ang tanong – may na-engganya ba siya?”
She noted, however, that it would ultimately be up to the Department of Justice to determine whether the remarks warrant investigation, stressing that authorities would have to assess whether anyone was actually influenced by the call.
Singson earlier urged religious groups, opposition figures, and the youth to join a nationwide protest against corruption, saying both President Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez should be held accountable.
“Maliwanag, harap-harapan itong ginagawa nila. Sila ang may kagagawan nito. It is not enough that Martin Romualdez should be charged alone. Pareho sila (Marcos). Sila ang nakakaalam nito,” Singson said.
He added that the schedule of the proposed rally would depend on consultations with various sectors, particularly the youth, whom he called on to take the lead.
“Nasa grupo yan. Ang magde-decide ang religious organizations, the opposition, lahat ng nagmamahal sa ating bansa. Tawagin niyo lahat, tawagan niyo ako. I will prefer yung kabataan ang magsabi ng date,” he said.
He added: “Dapat kasama ang kabataan dito kasi ninakaw ang future ng kabataan…Ang kabataan ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa, yan ang sabi ni Jose Rizal…Future niyo ito… tumayo kayo, huwag kayo matakot, kasi future niyo ito.”/PN
