Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” event at the General Trias Sports Park on May 4, 2026. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” event at the General Trias Sports Park on May 4, 2026. The President met with 165 Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars during their orientation where he highlighted the importance of education, saying, “Kapag maganda ang naging edukasyon mo… hindi na makukuha ‘yan sa inyo.”
The President also witnessed the distribution of 10-kilogram rice packs to 2,000 beneficiaries—1,000 each from Brgy. San Francisco and Brgy. Santiago—and led the turnover of ₱6.6 million in financial assistance to 33 barangays under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) and the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF).

Article (news)

MARCOS

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/178311797169620260504-marcos-bawat-barangay-makikinabang-cavite-PPA27.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” event at the General Trias Sports Park on May 4, 2026. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” event at the General Trias Sports Park on May 4, 2026. <em>Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>VANCOUVER, Canada – Malacañang on Friday pushed back against former Quezon City Representative Mike Defensor, who called for an investigation into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s campaign donations while questioning the plunder charges filed against him and Senator Rodante Marcoleta, decrying alleged selective justice and double standards.</p><p>In a Facebook post, the former lawmaker named some campaign donors of Marcos Jr. during his presidential bid for the 2022 elections who were subsequently appointed to the upper echelons of the government, saying that these should also be looked into.</p><p>&quot;If campaign donations are now being used as the basis for a plunder case, then these circumstances deserve at least the same level of scrutiny and investigation. The law cannot have one standard for political opponents and another for political allies,&quot; Defensor said.</p><p>&quot;That is not equal justice. That is selective justice,&quot; he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/3/marcoleta-plunder-case-filed-1023">READ: Ombudsman files plunder case vs Marcoleta over alleged non-disclosure of campaign funds</a></div><p>In response, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro argued that Defensor should not compare Marcoleta&#x27;s case to the president&#x27;s due to different circumstances.</p><p>&quot;Naisip po ba niya na at the time na tumakbo ang Pangulong Marcos Jr., siya ay pribado, private citizen. Iba naman po ang sitwasyon ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. At the time siya ay congressman,&quot; Castro said in a press briefing held here in Vancouver on Friday morning, July 3 (local time).</p><p>The Palace official pointed out that Marcos Jr. filed a complete report on the campaign donations he received for the elections, unlike Marcoleta who admitted in a television interview that he did not disclose the contributions from Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu during the 2025 midterm elections because the donors wanted to remain anonymous.</p><p>&quot;Ang P75 million ay hindi po nakita sa SALN at hindi rin po nakita sa SOCE [Statement of Contributions and Expenditures]. Taliwas sa pagkukumpara ni Mike Defensor dahil ang Pangulo, kumpleto ang pag-report sa SOCE. Kung hindi ito uminit at hindi ito na-issue, &#x27;yung p75 million ay hindi nyo makikita kung saang record,&quot; she stated.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/ombudsman-marcoleta-himself-gave-evidence-for-plunder-raps-1555">READ: Marcoleta himself gave evidence for plunder raps -- Ombudsman</a></div><p>Castro further inquired about Defensor&#x27;s donor&#x27;s tax and whether the payment was made on time.</p><p>&quot;At pakitanong na rin po kay Mike Defensor. Kung binayaran nga ba niya yung donor&#x27;s tax, ang sabi niya ay oo, kailan niya ito binayaran? Binayaran ba niya &#x27;to matapos na uminit na lang &#x27;yung issue at nabanggit ang patungkol dito sa P75 million?&quot;</p><p>&quot;So, yun po ang malaking pagkakaiba kaya huwag niyo pong ikumpara dahil ibang iba po ang nangyari at ginawa ni Senator Marcoleta sa pondong P75 million,&quot; she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PALACE ASSURES NO INFLUENCE</strong></div><p>Responding to claims of possible partiality, Castro assured that the Executive Department will not interfere with Marcoleta&#x27;s case, saying that the president respects the independence of the courts.</p><p>&quot;Kung malakas po ang ebidensya ni Sen. Marcoleta, kaya niya po itong panindigan. Walang pag-iimpluwensya. Walang pambabraso, walang pangpe-pressure ang gagawin ng ehekutibo dahil ang ehekutibo at ang Pangulo ay ginagalang po ang desisyon ng Korte,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Huwag po nating bigyan agad ng malisya kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng korte dahil wala pa po sa puntong &#x27;yun. Nandun pa lang po sa pag-submit or rather pag-file ng case sa Sandiganbayan. So hindi po maganda na bigyan natin ng dungis ang ating mga korte, ang ating justice system,&quot; Castro noted.</p><p>Malacañang also sees no repeat of a &#x27;surprise rally&#x27; should a warrant of arrest be issued against Marcoleta, as she emphasized that the cases should run their course in the courts.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/1/palace-warns-iglesia-leaders-vs-destabilizers-1534">READ: Palace warns Iglesia leaders vs &#x27;destabilizers&#x27;</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi ko po nakikita sa ngayon, wala pong nakikita ang gobyerno na dahil lamang nagkaroon ng pagsasampa ng kaso ay magkakaroon muli ng surprise protest. Kapagka po kasi ganun ang nangyari ay parang dinidiktahan na po nila ang mga investigating bodies,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;So hindi po natin sa ngayon nakikita na mangyayari ito dahil ang mga grupo ngayon, alam natin na dapat tayong sumunod sa batas,&quot; Castro added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NO PRESSURE&#x27;</strong></div><p>While she believes that religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo does not want to put pressure on the government, Castro dissuaded those who may try to coerce the government into making individuals involved in anomalies escape accountability.</p><p>&quot;Hindi naman po kailangan magpa-pressure ang gobyerno at ang mga nag-iimbestiga, pati na po ang mga korte natin sa mga pressure ng ibang mga grupo at sa ating palagay ay hindi naman din po &#x27;yun ang naisin ng INC,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;But still, sa mga balak na magpa-pressure sa gobyerno para po mapaligtas ang mga tao na sinasabi natin maaring sangkot sa mga anomalya. Huwag nyo na po itong pilit. Huwag niyo na po itong gawin. Dahil muli, hindi matutulog ang gobyerno, hindi din matutulog ang mga investigating bodies, pati na po ang korte para mapanagot ang dapat na mapanagot,&quot; Castro added.</p>

<p>Malacañang on Friday pushed back against former Quezon City Representative Mike Defensor, who called for an investigation into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s campaign donations while questioning the plunder charges filed against him and Senator Rodante Marcoleta.</p>

Malacañang on Friday pushed back against former Quezon City Representative Mike Defensor, who called for an investigation into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s campaign donations while questioning the plunder charges filed against him and Senator Rodante Marcoleta.

Palace to Defensor: Marcos' campaign donations complete, don't compare to Marcoleta

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Palace to Defensor: Marcos' campaign donations complete, don't compare to Marcoleta

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 04, 2026 06:36 AM PHT

|

Updated July 04, 2026 06:43 AM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Claire Castro

Mike Defensor

Rodante Marcoleta

Ombudsman

plunder

campaign donations

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