MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte will not intervene in the conviction of former First Lady Imelda Marcos of graft.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the closeness between the Dutertes and the Marcoses are just a perception and that the President won’t tolerate wrongdoings even of his friends.

"Ibang klaseng presidente ito. Hindi siya nakikialam pagdating d'yan. Hayaan mo na 'yung boards kasi unang una hindi pa naman final,” Panelo told reporters in Singapore, where Duterte joins other Southeast Asian leaders for an annual summit.

“Iyung closeness na sinasabi, perceived lang iyon.”

(This president is one of a kind. He does not intervene in such matters. Let the (parole) board decide because first of all, the conviction is not yet final. The closeness between them is just a perception.)

Panelo added, Duterte might just visit Marcos in case she finally gets jailed.

“Kaibigan ka niya. Kung may kailangan ka tutulangan ka niya. Pero hanggang doon na lang iyon. Halimbawa nakulong ka, bibisitahin kita,” he said.

(He is your friend and if you need something, he will help up. But that ends there. If you get jailed, he might just visit you.)

The Sandiganbayan 5th Division found the former First Lady guilty in 7 counts of graft for using her Cabinet position to maintain her Swiss bank accounts during their rule of his husband, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

The court on Tuesday deferred the arrest warrant against Marcos after the latter filed a motion for leave of court to avail post-conviction remedies. The Sandiganbayan said Marcos may still post bail while her conviction is on appeal.