Malacañang maintained on Wednesday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. adheres strictly to the constitutional separation of powers and had no involvement in the Sandiganbayan’s decision to drop plunder and graft charges against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro emphasized that the anti-graft court’s ruling on the Ombudsman’s request falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the judicial branch.
“Kung ano po ang naging desisyon dito ng Sandiganbayan, iyan po ay hindi na po saklaw ng kapangyarihan ng ating Pangulo. Sila po ay parte ng judiciary at may separation of powers po tayong tinatawag,” Castro explained during a press briefing.
Castro reiterated President Marcos’ unwavering stance that all individuals implicated in flood control corruption must be held accountable, regardless of political affiliation, status, or personal ties.
Bonoan had been named co-accused alongside Senator Jinggoy Estrada in plunder and graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman regarding an alleged P500-million kickback scheme involving flood control infrastructure projects. The Ombudsman subsequently sought Bonoan’s exclusion from the primary charges following his decision to cooperate with authorities and provide material evidence in ongoing investigations.
While declining to speak directly on behalf of the Sandiganbayan or the Ombudsman, Castro noted that prosecuting authorities likely established valid grounds to initially file charges against Bonoan before subsequently determining that his testimony was critical to broader anti-corruption proceedings.
Castro also dismissed assertions from Bonoan’s camp claiming he was forced to step down, contrasting earlier statements from Malacañang that he resigned out of command responsibility. She clarified that there is no inherent contradiction between the statements, noting that while Bonoan stepped down under the principle of command responsibility, whether the resignation was requested or voluntary does not alter the underlying rationale.
Addressing separate comments from the camp of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, which alleged that the Ombudsman had prejudged him and was searching for evidence to build a case, Castro declined to comment on the specific claims. She stated that Romualdez’s legal team retains the right to express their views and defend their client, adding that the President’s guiding principle remains steadfast, due process must take its course and all presented evidence must be respected by the courts.