MANILA – Malacañang slammed Davao City’s Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte for criticizing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. over the arrest of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The mayor lambasted Marcos for allowing Duterte to be arrested even after the latter allowed the President’s late father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 2016.
“Hindi po dapat mahinto ng utang na loob ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Hindi po dapat traydorin ang pagpapatupad ng batas, ang pagpapatupad ng commitment with the Interpol,” Castro said in a media briefing at Malacañang on Monday.
“Hindi po dapat na dahil kaibigan o dahil naging kasama, hindi na po tutuparin ang batas at tatraydorin na po ang Konstitusyon dahil lamang sa utang na loob,” she added.
Castro further said that President Marcos had already expressed gratitude to the former President over the matter as early as November 18, 2016, the day the elder Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
“Dati pa po. Nagpasalamat na po ang pangulo 2016 pa po sa Supreme Court na nagbigay ng decision na dapat ilibing ang kanyang ama sa Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Castro said.
She added: “Sinabi nga nila forever silang tatanaw ng utang na loob sa napakagandang gesture ng dating pangulong Duterte.”
Castro pointed out that former President Duterte also cited the law in allowing Marcos Sr.’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, apart from the Supreme Court ruling that allowed it.
The Davao City mayor said Marcos will “never be loved” especially by Duterte’s supporters, adding that the stories he heard about martial law and oppression “are synonymous with the Marcos family name.”
Meanwhile, Castro said while the Palace is concerned about protests in Davao City against Duterte’s arrest at The Hague, she said the government will respect the right to peaceably assemble as long as protesters do not incite others to commit violence against the government.
“Malamang iniidolo at panatiko po sila ng isang leader. Hindi nating pipigilan ang kanilang pagsasabi ng kanilang damdamin. Huwag lang siguro lalagpas na magkakaroon ng alarma at masasabi po natin na ‘yan ay sedition or inciting to sedition na po,” she said./PN
