Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin at the 125th founding anniversary of the Philippine Navy at the Navy Headquarters on Roxas Boulevard in Manila on May 26, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763540477282cropped-Screen Shot 2025-11-19 at 4.18.16 PM.png" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin  at the 125th founding anniversary of the Philippine Navy at the Navy Headquarters on Roxas Boulevard in Manila on May 26, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE) </strong>— Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday said that he did not resign from his post, contrary to what the Palace said that he did so out of &quot;delicadeza.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/17/bersamin-pangandaman-resign-recto-is-new-executive-secretary-1722">Bersamin, Pangandaman resign; Recto is new executive secretary</a></div><p>&quot;I did not resign. Earlier in the day last November 17, someone called to tell me I had to go as the ES. The call was not from Malacañang. I informed the President by text that I had no problem exiting,&quot; Bersamin told ABS-CBN News&#x27; Karen Davila.</p><p>&quot;About 2 p.m., the PCO reportedly announced my resignation &#x27;out of delicadeza.&#x27; Still, I did not submit any letter as of then,&quot; he added.</p><p>Former Finance Secretary Ralph Recto replaced Bersamin as ES.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;I FELT BAD SOMEHOW&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763540506360cropped-Screen Shot 2025-11-19 at 11.26.14 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former ES Lucas Bersamin. File photo/ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>In an interview with Palace reporters later, Bersamin insisted that he did not file a resignation letter, refuting Malacañang&#x27;s announcement.</p><p>&quot;Wala akong resignation na finile. Kasi ang sinabi, nabasa ko na lang na I resigned out of delicadeza. Masarap pakinggan ‘yung out of delicadeza. Pero ‘di naman totoo yan, hindi ako nag-resign,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/17/bersamin-on-reported-removal-as-executive-secretary-wait-for-official-announcement-1453">Bersamin, Pangandaman resign; Recto is new executive secretary</a></div><p>When asked why the Palace earlier announced that he resigned out of delicadeza, Bersamin replied: &quot;I do not know. You ask them kung bakit nila [sinabi] without consulting me. The messaging should be clear. You ask them if they had a letter.&quot;</p><p>Following the Palace announcement, Bersamin said he sent the following letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><div><br/><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17635366876371763536684998.jpeg" style="width:500px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Bersamin maintained that he should have been consulted first and accorded with proper courtesy.</p><p>“Huwag naman yung i-announce nalang nila you&#x27;re the last to be told. Tapos naging reality na, ang hirap sumagot sa tao sa mga tanong,” he said.</p><p>“I felt bad somehow, but I am not going to waste time worrying about the new ones or the way they did it because maybe they were also under instruction or given the impression na mayroon akong resignation. I cannot blame them for that. I just would like to correct ‘yung impression na nag-resign ako. I never did resign,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MEETING WITH MARCOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176354024268020220927-marcos-bersamin-OP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin takes his oath as Executive Secretary before Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Tuesday morning  in this photo released on September 27, 2022. Office of the President</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The former “Little President” further disclosed that he was able to meet with Marcos on the evening of November 17 – just hours after Palace Press Officer Claire Castro announced in a Palace briefing his supposed resignation. </p><p>However, Bersamin declined to divulge what was discussed during their 30-minute discussion.</p><p>“Although tinanggap na ‘yung resignation ko na sinasabi, napalitan na ako, I considered myself at that time still responsible on holdover but no longer with the authority to execute any official act,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/-nov-14-timeline-of-flood-control-scandal-according-to-marcos-0938">Timeline of flood control scandal, according to Marcos</a></div><p>“So, when I was there, I was still in that sense na quasi-position na official and anything communicated to me up to those times covered by privilege ‘yan, irerespetuhin ko yan dahil ayaw ko maglabag sa batas,” he added.</p><p>“May disappointment pero hindi sama ng loob ‘yun eh. Because you do not expect na yung can be out of office so quickly. On the exercise of the prerogative. But I am aware of the nature of serving at the pleasure of the President because I have been as the ES, the executor of all instructions to remove some people, replace them, etcetera. So I know that,” Bersamin further noted.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘IDEMANDA NIYO NA LANG AKO’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Bersamin also denied anew his involvement in the alleged budget insertion.</p><p>“Wala akong kinalaman kay Mr. Bernardo at saka kay Trygve Olaivar. Hindi ko na kailangan ipaliwanag pa ‘yan dahil wala talaga akong kinalaman tungkol sa budget. Kung mayroon pang mga tao na gusto akong i-implicate dyan, itigil nyo na ‘yan, i-demanda nyo na lang ako para sagutin ko nang tama. Kasi right now puro innuendo, puro mga pasaring,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/18/lacson-clears-marcos-in-zaldy-co-s-kickback-claims-blames-undersecretaries-instead-1551">Lacson clears Marcos in Zaldy Co’s kickback claims, says two officials &#x27;misrepresented&#x27; President</a></div><p>Bersamin said that he has never been tainted with corruption issues even when he was still in the judiciary. </p><p>“’Di maganda yan eh. Chief Justice ako dati. Wala akong iskandalo o bahid ng kalokohan. Ngayon pa na Executive Secretary ako, idadamay nyo ako sa ganyan, idadawit nyo ako. Patunayan nyo na lang yan kung mayroon kayong patunay. Kung chismis lang, huwag naman. Dahil ang social media napakabilis na makasira,” Bersamin added.</p><p>Bersamin further dared his accusers to file cases against him if they have evidence instead of bringing the allegations before the Senate.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;YOU ASK HIM&#x27;<br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The older Bersamin meanwhile distanced himself when asked about his kin, former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin who was also implicated in the alleged budget anomaly.</p><p>“Apo ‘yan ng older brother ko, oldest brother ko na pinatay. So, I have been a part of his life since that time. Kasi bata pa yan ano na ‘yan. Tinutulungan ko na yan at tinutulungan niya ako. Mabait na bata ‘yan. Hindi ‘yan yung you cannot expect him to do anything na hindi tugma sa nakakataas sa kanya. Pero kung sabihin nila na ako yun, hindi ako,” he noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/19/ici-filing-of-referral-vs-senators-may-be-delayed-due-to-bernardo-s-affidavit-1228">ICI: Filing of referral vs senators may be delayed due to Bernardo&#x27;s affidavit</a></div><p>“Si Adrian, undersecretary sa office ko. He&#x27;s also the PLLO. But whatever they say about what he did, you ask him, maybe he will give you the answer,” he said.</p><p>When asked about Senator Ping Lacson implicating the former PLLO undersecretary, Bersamin responded, “If Sen. Lacson has the evidence, we will respect his declaration there. Pero sa tingin ko lang, kung batay lang sa mga kwento ni Zaldy Co at saka ni Bernardo, hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na naniniwala ako kaagad.”</p><p>Bersamin underscored that such allegations “should ultimately be established in court”.</p><p>“Kung batay sa handwritten at sworn sulat ni Bernardo mga ganun, bahala silang mag-diskarte diyan. But as far as I know, Adrian and the others are not that into this na sila lang ang gumagawa. ‘Wag ninyo sabihin na ako ang mastermind,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTbAvY0kkyU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday said that he did not resign from his post, contrary to what the Palace said that he did so out of "delicadeza."</p>

Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday said that he did not resign from his post, contrary to what the Palace said that he did so out of "delicadeza."

Bersamin refutes Palace, says he 'did not resign' but was told 'he had to go'

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Bersamin refutes Palace, says he 'did not resign' but was told 'he had to go'

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 19, 2025 11:29 AM PHT

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Updated November 19, 2025 04:23 PM PHT

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Palace

Lucas Bersamin

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