Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin has issued a pointed statement rejecting recent allegations against former President Rodrigo Duterte as nothing more than baseless tall tales. Bersamin described the criticisms as “a tall tale from a man prone to lying and to inventing hoaxes,” dismissing them as yet another budol from a one-man fake-news factory. He affirmed that his administration remains resolute in upholding the Constitution, adhering to the rule of law, and protecting the rights of the people.

“We will not backslide into the oppressive ways of the previous administration—when critics were jailed on trumped-up charges and kill orders were issued with glee,” Bersamin declared. His remarks underscore the current government’s commitment to constitutional processes and due process, distancing itself from practices of the past.

Bersamin’s statement comes amid political debate, with some critics—such as former presidential aide Salvador Panelo—accusing him of “singing a different tune” now that he is part of the present cabinet. However, Bersamin maintained that his firm stance is consistent with the administration’s demonstrated actions and long-held principles.

Panelo’s full statement below:

"The Executive Secretary is singing a different tune, now that he is a cabinet member of the present administration.

Yet, when he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by former President Rodrigo Duterte, and upon his retirement from the judiciary, appointed to the juicy position of Chairman of the Government Security Insurance System by FPPRD, he was singing hosannas and praises to PRRD’s strict and equal enforcement of the laws to all citizens, high or low.

ES says FPRRD is a one man fake news factory, without pointing any false information that the latter has given to the public.

It is in fact the current dispensation that has a become a huge corporation of fake news.

When the armed to the teeth police forces illegally assaulted the religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)to serve a warrant of arrest to religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, it peddled the lie that the assaulting police special assault teams were unarmed despite the whole world seeing the videos taken during the attack — of uniformed policemen carrying high powered firearms and hurting and harassing the KOJC members.

When the the irregularity and illegality of passing the general appropriations bill was exposed as having blanks that were illegally filled up, ES, followed by PBBM, insisted there were no blanks in the enrolled bill and the law signed by the latter, when such blanks existed in the bicam report, which became the basis of the Government Appropriations Act (GAA), as admitted by its chairperson of the bicameral committee. Despite such admission, they continue with the falsity that GAA was signed into law without any irregularity.

The administration has painted a rosy picture of the economy trumpeting that we are better off today than the previous years, despite the fact of the continuing high prices of basic commodities that have pummeled the majority of masses of our people, who continue to suffer from poverty, unemployment, lack of education, inadequate health and hospital benefits and absence of new infra structures to propel this country to heights of development.

It bombards us with the false information that criminality and illegal drug trafficking have been contained when the opposite is the reality.

It wants us to believe the propaganda that the presence of the American military bases is good for our security defense, when in truth and in fact, it precisely endangers the security of our country because USA’s enemy, the People’s Republic of China, considers it at as an imminent threat to its security, hence it bluntly told us that it will attack our country when armed hostilities between the two giant countries erupt.

A dictator doesn’t follow the Constitution and rule of law.

Violating and assaulting the constitutional rights of the citizens including a religious group whose only fault is to be critical of government policies and to be expressive of their admiration and support for VP Sara and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte is anathema nyo democracy.

When the powers that be do not follow constitutional processes outlined by the Constitution, like the impeachment to eliminate a leasing contender to the 2028 presidential campaign, congressional hearings and passage of laws, particularly the general appropriations bill, using law enforcement agencies to file criminal charged against critics ans political enemies,

and impose their will that serve only their interests, or to perpetuate themselves in power—and the head of state allows such constitutional transgressions or worse command its enforcement, such demeanor smacks of dictatorial tendencies.

When freedom of speech is curtailed or place a prior restraint to its exercise, like calling bloggers, political commentators and podcasters to a congressional probe, which gives a chilling and harassing effect on their persons, then the path to dictatorship has been opened.

It is in this context that the former president is expressing his fear that given those aforementioned circumstances, it is unsurprising that governance may lead to a dictatorship or a one-man rule.

Salvador S. Panelo