Malacañang on Monday denounced what it described as a demolition job by power-hungry groups seeking to destroy the reputation, image and character of Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro called on the National Bureau of Investigation should identify everyone allegedly involved in the scheme.
“Ito ay isang karimarimarim, hindi katanggap-tanggap, hindi makatao, makasarili, power hungry, gawaing paggawa ng intriga, pagplanta ng ebidensiya (This is a despicable, unacceptable, inhumane, selfish, and power-hungry act involving the sowing of intrigue and the planting of evidence),” Castro said.
She said such actions run counter to due process and are among the practices the Marcos administration has been fighting.
Castro added that this was not the first time critics of the administration allegedly used witnesses to make false and fabricated accusations without presenting concrete evidence, creating chaos and disorder.
“Hindi dapat ganito, nakikita ang karahasan, paggawa ng kwento, paninira, napaka-rampant na ng ginagawa nila at ito ay nakakasira sa gobyerno, nakakasira sa isipan ng ating mga kabataan (It shouldn’t be this way. We are witnessing violence, the fabrication of stories, and smear campaigns—these actions have become rampant, and they are damaging the government and corrupting the minds of our young people),” she said.
Reports said the alleged scheme involved accusing Recto of forcing the women to engage in sexual acts and use illegal drugs. The NBI has yet to release further details on its investigation.