Malacañang dismissed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for snap elections as ‘wishful thinking,’ saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is focused on governance, not politics.
Cayetano earlier suggested that all elected officials – from the president to lawmakers – should resign to pave the way for a snap election. He later walked back his remarks after criticism who questioned both the legality and sincerity of his proposal.
While some senators have remarked that Cayetano’s call can be dangerous, the Palace downright called it politicking. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, for one, said the administration sees no value in entertaining Cayetano’s idea.
‘It is just his wishful thinking. We do not have time to talk about one’s personal desires,’ Castro told reporters.
She added that Marcos is preoccupied with response efforts following a string of natural disasters, including recent cyclones and the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu.
‘Wala po siyang oras sa mga ganitong klaseng pamumulitika. Mag-focus po tayong lahat sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan, hindi sa mga pansariling interes lang,’ Castro said.
(He has no time for this kind of politicking. We should all focus on the needs of the people, not personal interests.)
Accountability over resignation. Cayetano’s proposal stemmed from the ongoing corruption investigations into flood control projects – a controversy first spotlighted by Marcos during his State of the Nation Address in July.
The president has repeatedly said the probes must continue even at the cost of his own allies, stressing that resignation alone cannot substitute for accountability.
In a pre-recorded interview aired before Cayetano’s statements, Marcos said resignation is not enough, since people still need to be held accountable for any anomalies.
Following the backlash, Cayetano softened his position.
‘It’s not my job nor my intention to tell anyone what to do, to tell anyone to resign,’ he wrote on Facebook.