Bongbong-Rody word war rages

Marcos calls Duterte response to secret deal nothing but excuses’

- HELEN FLORES and DIANA LHYD SUELTO

The word war between President Marcos and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte continues, with the Chief Executive taking a jab at the former president's possibly treasonous deal with China, but himself having to parry accusations of power lust.

At a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines yesterday, Marcos said Duterte and his former officials were making too many excuses to justify his "gentleman's agreement" with Chinese President Xi Jinping to keep the rusty BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal from undergoing repairs.

Meanwhile, at a "prayer rally" in Tagum City, Davao del Norte on Monday night, Duterte said Marcos was initiating Charter change to keep himself in power.

Marcos was asked at the FOCAP forum whether he would hold his predecessor accountable for the secret agreement that the President said undermined the country's security and its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

The President said he was trying to find out what the agreement "is all about" but was not getting straight answers.

"I've talked, I've tried to get in touch with former officials of the previous administration who could possibly have been involved in these discussions and I have to tell you I haven't gotten a straight answer out of anyone," Marcos said.

"I'm finding a (great) deal of difficulty in finding answers because I hear one thing, and another thing, and another thing. It's all very-maraming palusot (too many excuses), in other words. I don't know how to translate in English but maraming palusot," he said.

He said one official of the previous administration claimed there was no secret pact while another party explained that the supposed arrangement between Duterte and Xi was only for a "status quo," even as Duterte himself had admitted there was some agreement.