MANILA – Malacañang has dismissed former President Rodrigo Duterte’s accusation that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is heading towards dictatorship, calling it a “hoax” and labeling Duterte as a “one-man fake news factory.”
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin condemned Duterte’s claims as “baseless” and “ridiculous,” accusing the former president of falsely portraying the current administration as a threat to democracy.
“This hoax is just another trick from a man known for spreading falsehoods,” Bersamin said, adding that the Marcos administration would continue to uphold the constitution and the rule of law.
Bersamin further emphasized that the Philippines would not return to the oppressive practices of the Duterte era, where critics were jailed on trumped-up charges, and extrajudicial killings were rampant.
“It was under Duterte that rights were ignored and due process violated. Now, it is he who falsely accuses us of pushing for tyranny,” Bersamin stated.
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