Palace: Bongbong Marcos has no 'rift' with sister Imee

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has no rift with his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, following her departure from the administration's senatorial ticket, Malacañang said Thursday.

At a media briefing Thursday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about the relationship of the two siblings after the reelectionist senator officially announced her withdrawal from the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas and her initiative to investigate the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"We cannot say that there is a rift, hintayin na lang po natin kung may sasabihin ang Pangulo... sa ugali ng Pangulo, hindi siya pikon..." Castro said.

(We cannot say that there is a rift. Let's just wait for the President to speak about it... the President was never thin-skinned.)

However, Castro said that from Imee's perspective, it seems there is a rift between the siblings.

''As we can see from the statements of Senator Imee Marcos, it seems like there is,'' Castro said.

Imee had announced that she was officially leaving the administration's senatorial ticket. In her statement, she cited the actions of the Philippine government during the arrest of Duterte, which are different from her ideals and principles.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas' campaign manager, said they respect the senator's decision.

Asked about Imee's withdrawal from Alyansa, Castro said Imee has been saying that she will withdraw from the administration's slate. She said if her ideals are not aligned with Alyansa's, it is better that she leaves the group.

''Sa ngayon po, siya naman po ang nagsabi na siya’y kumakalas na sa Alyansa dahil ang sabi niya ay hindi yata pareho ang kanilang mga adhikain, ang adbokasiya,'' Castro said.

(At present, she's the one saying that she'll withdraw from the Alyansa because they have different ideals and advocacies.)

''Kung hindi po talaga nalilinya ang kaniyang mga paniniwala sa paniniwala ng Alyansa, mas maganda po siguro talaga na siya ay umalis dahil kung hindi niya po paniniwalaan ang mga programa ng Alyansa, hindi po talaga magkakaroon ng magandang relationship,'' she said.

(If her ideals are different from Alyansa, it's better if she really leaves the alliance. if she doesn't believe the programs of the slate, then there will be no good relationship.)

In a news forum on Saturday, Imee said she initiated the Senate hearing on Duterte's arrest without any intention of discrediting her brother's administration. — VDV/RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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