Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace on Monday, November 11, 2024. Yummie Dingding, PPA pool

Article (news)

MARCOS

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174780441561520241111-marcos-create-more-act-PPA07.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace on Monday, November 11, 2024. Yummie Dingding, PPA pool"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace on Monday, November 11, 2024. <em>Yummie Dingding, PPA pool</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will neither break nor bend the law just for reconciliation with anyone, Malacañang said on Wednesday, days after the Chief Executive mentioned that he is open to mending ties with the Duterte family. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/19/ayoko-ng-gulo-marcos-jr-open-to-reconcile-with-duterte-family-1650">&#x27;Ayoko ng gulo&#x27;: Marcos Jr. open to reconcile with Duterte family</a></div><p>After the President gave that statement on his podcast, allies of the Duterte family said that the Chief Executive should prove his sincerity by returning former President Rodrigo Duterte — who is now detained in the Netherlands — to the Philippines.</p><p>“Hindi magpapahawak sa leeg at hindi magpapadikta ang Pangulo sa mali... Hindi tatalikuran ng Pangulo at babaliktarin ang batas para lang pagsilbihan ang personal na interes ng iilan,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.</p><p>(The President will not be held by the neck and will not let himself be dictated into doing the wrong thing. The President will not turn his back on or bend the law for the personal interest of a few)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/17/sara-duterte-says-she-wants-bloodbath-in-her-impeachment-trial-2257">Sara Duterte says she wants &#x27;bloodbath&#x27; in her impeachment trial</a></div><p>The President will always abide by the rule of law, Castro said.</p><p>“Ang rekonsilyasyon lamang po ay para hindi na magkaroon ng gulo at para magkaroon ng stability at matupad niya ang mga pangako niya sa bayan,” she said.</p><p>(Reconciliation is meant to prevent chaos and for stability to help him fulfill his promise to the public)</p><p>Castro clarified that the President’s message of reconciliation was not just intended for the Dutertes, but to anyone who has differing views with the ruling administration. </p><p>Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to comment on Marcos Jr.’s statement that he is open to mend ties with her family.</p><div><strong>&#x27;GOOD LUCK TO THEM&#x27;</strong></div><p>Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros&#x27; wished the two camps &quot;luck&quot; if ever efforts to mend their ties pushes through. </p><p>&quot;Good luck po sa kanila kung paano nila magagawa yun.&quot; </p><p>She said that since Marcos was the one who opened the idea of &quot;reconciliation,&quot; he should be the one to set the terms. </p><p>&quot;Well, since si Presidente ang nagbabanggit ng reconciliation, siya at sila ang kailangang mag-set ng terms,&quot; she said.</p><p>Hontiveros, however, believes that the supposed reconciliation cannot come at the expense of Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial at the Senate.</p><div><strong>HISTORY OF &#x27;FEUD&#x27;</strong></div><p>Cracks in the relationship between the two top officials in the country started to show in early 2024 when former President Duterte accused Marcos Jr. of being a “weak leader” who he also claimed uses cocaine.</p><p>Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte also called for Marcos Jr.’s resignation last year.</p><p>First Lady Liza Marcos slammed Vice President Duterte for laughing at her relatives’ public remarks instead of defending the President, who served as her running mate in the 2022 national elections. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/18/liza-marcos-on-sara-duterte-bad-shot-na-sa-akin-yan-755">Liza Marcos on Sara Duterte: &#x27;Bad shot na sa akin &#x27;yan&#x27;</a></div><p>In mid-2024, Vice President Duterte resigned from the Cabinet, shortly before congressional investigations into her confidential funds began.</p><p>The rift worsened in the last quarter of 2024 after Duterte said that she has contracted someone to kill Marcos Jr and some of his relatives should an alleged plot against her succeed. </p><p>In early 2025, the House voted to impeach Duterte for high crimes, including her supposed kill plot against Marcos Jr. </p><p>The clash between the Marcos and the Duterte factions in government worsened in March when the administration helped foreign officials arrest former president Duterte, and haul him before the International Criminal Court for charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the previous administration’s illegal drugs campaign that saw thousands — including minors — killed.</p><p>Earlier this week, the President said that the results of the 2025 midterm elections — where only five administration-backed senatorial candidates won — showed that Filipinos are tired of politicking.<strong> —With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><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/SgUTa-kVDsg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><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/t0znayDKpAU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Palace clarified that the President’s message of reconciliation was not just intended for the Dutertes.</p>

The Palace clarified that the President’s message of reconciliation was not just intended for the Dutertes.

Palace: Marcos Jr. won't bend law for political reconciliation

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Palace: Marcos Jr. won't bend law for political reconciliation

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 21, 2025 01:49 PM PHT

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Updated May 21, 2025 07:16 PM PHT

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