Despite the recent major revamp in the Cabinet following allegations that some members were involved in inserting P100 billion worth of projects into the 2025 national budget, Malacañang has stated that no internal investigation is currently being conducted.
Instead, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro attributed the recent changes in the Cabinet to the performance evaluation, which is regularly conducted by President Ferdinand Marcos.
‘I can’t say anything that everyone [in the Cabinet] is under investigation. So, what the President can only carry out is the usual and regular performance [evaluation] of each cabinet,’ she said in Filipino in a press briefing last Thursday.
Since the start of Marcos’ presidency in 2022, his Cabinet has already undergone several revamps due to the ‘voluntary resignation’ of some of its members or as a result of the chief executive’s performance assessment secretaries.
The latest to leave the Cabinet were former Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin and former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman after they were linked to the allegations made by former Ako Bicol Party list representative Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co that Marcos ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson claimed Bersamin helped in facilitating the collection of P52 billion worth of kickbacks from the 2025 budget, which the former executive secretary denied.
Last Monday, Castro announced the voluntary resignation of Bersamin and Pangandaman. However, the former executive secretary said he was ordered to vacate his post.
The Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary maintained that Bersamin voluntarily resigned.
‘The Palace acknowledges former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s clarification regarding the manner of his transition,’ Castro said.
‘As he [Bersamin] himself stated in his interview, he submitted himself to the President’s discretion and prerogative as part of the ongoing reorganization. The Palace announcement was issued in line with this understanding and with due regard for stability and continuity in governance,’ she added.