During Press Con, Journalist Asks Palace about Real Reason over Lucas Bersamin’s Exit as Executive Secretary
JOURNALIST – A member of the press slammed the response of Malacañang’s Atty. Claire Castro on a question about Lucas Bersamin’s resignation as executive secretary.
Two (2) members of the Marcos Jr. Cabinet recently left their post — former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and former secretary of the Department of Budget and Management Amenah Pangandaman. The Palace announced their resignation last November 17 after they were mentioned by Zaldy Co in his accusations.
Resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co accused Pres. Bongbong Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez of allegedly inserting P100 billion in the 2025 national budget. According to Co, he allegedly called then-Budget Sec. Amenah Pangandaman who supposedly confirmed the order. He also claimed that he allegedly reach out to then-E.S. Lucas Bersamin and supposedly got a confirmation as well.
Finance Sec. Ralph Recto was appointed as the new executive secretary following the reported resignation of former E.S. Lucas Bersamin. However, countless Filipinos were shocked when Bersamin claimed that he has allegedly yet to resign when the Palace announced his resignation.
According to him, someone allegedly called him in the morning of November 17 telling him that he needs to go. He claimed that the call was supposedly not from the Palace and he informed Pres. Bongbong Marcos that he is ready to vacate his position. Later that day, allegedly without a resignation letter, the Palace announced his resignation.
Recently, during a press conference, a journalist asked Malacañang press officer Atty. Claire Castro about the real reason why former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin was removed from his position. Based on a post of The Mailbox on social media, she also asked who ordered the removal of the former E.S.
“Former Executive Secretary denied that he resigned out of his own accord. So ano po ‘yung totoong reason kung bakit po siya tinanggal at sino po ‘yung nagpatanggal?” she said.
“Muli binanggit na po natin ang ating sagot at sila’y nagkausap na po. At sinabi nga po natin, pabayaan na po natin at sila naman po ay nagkausap na,” Castro responded.
The journalist pressed on the Malacañang press official to answer her question about the exit of Lucas Bersamin as the executive secretary. Based on the post, she stressed that the taxpayers whose money is used for the salaries of the government officials supposedly demand the truth.
“Ma’am sorry, hindi namin pwede pabayaan because the taxpayers who are funding the government and are actually paying the salaries of this administration is actually asking for truth from the Palace. Bakit po natanggal ‘yung Executive Secretary at sino po ‘yung nagpatanggal sa kanya?” the journalist said.
Malacañang press officer Usec. Claire Castro claimed that she cannot say who removed former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin as she allegedly does not know who the former E.S. was talking to over the phone. She also claimed that Bersamin submitted himself to the prerogative of Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
Previously, despite his exit from the Marcos Jr. Cabinet, former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin claimed that the Philippines is supposedly “safer” under Marcos Jr. than Vice Pres. Sara Duterte as the president.