Former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin Speaks on PH amid Calls for Marcos Jr. To Resign
LUCAS BERSAMIN – The former Executive Secretary believes that it is allegedly safer for the Philippines to stay with President Bongbong Marcos than him be replaced with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
Resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co tagged Pres. Bongbong Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez in the alleged budget insertion in the 2025 national budget. According to him, the President and the then-House Speaker allegedly ordered a P100-billion budget insertion and they supposedly got all the kickback.
According to Zaldy Co, he confirmed about the supposed order to insert P100 billion to the national budget for this year to then-Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and then-Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin. He claimed that both of them allegedly confirmed it and the Speaker also confirmed it.
After his and Pangandaman’s names were dragged into the supposed corruption issue, the Palace announced that the then-Budget Secretary and then-Executive Secretary resigned from their positions. According to Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, it was allegedly out of delicadeza.
However, former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin claimed that he allegedly has yet to tender a resignation letter when the Palace announced his resignation. According to him, prior to it, he received a call but not from Malacañang asking him to go and he told Marcos Jr. about it. Later that day, the Palace made the announcement that he exited.
Despite the alleged scenario wherein his resignation was announced to the public even without him resigning, former Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin has good words for Pres. Bongbong Marcos. Based on a post of News5, he claimed that Marcos Jr. is really focused in his work.
“Si Presidente, napakagaling na tao niyan. Focused na focused ‘yan. I think of all the people who vied for the presidency, he was the most qualified. It turned out to be true when I observed him working… Focused na focused siya,” the former E.S. said.
Lucas Bersamin was asked about his take on the calls for Pres. Bongbong Marcos to resign so Vice Pres. Sara Duterte can take over following the corruption and illegal drug use allegations against the President. Speaking to One PH, the former Executive Secretary expressed his belief that it is allegedly safer for the country to stay under the lead of Marcos Jr.
“I’m not disparaging the Vice President, ang kakayahan niya but I think it’s safer for the Philippines to stay with President Marcos,” Bersamin said.
Following the resignation of Lucas Bersamin, Finance Sec. Ralph Recto who believes that Marcos Jr. is “too kind” to be involved in corruption issues was appointed as the new Executive Secretary.