Malacañang has responded to Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte’s remarks questioning whether President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. acknowledges a debt of gratitude for the burial of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
In a press briefing on Monday, March 17, 2025, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro reiterated that President Marcos had already expressed gratitude back in 2016 when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of his father’s burial at the national heroes’ cemetery.
Castro stressed that the administration’s decisions are guided by the rule of law rather than personal obligations. “The president upholds the law above all else, and this principle remains at the core of his governance,” she stated.
The issue has sparked discussions on political alliances and expectations of loyalty, but Malacañang maintains that legal principles take precedence over personal ties.
