Malacañang on Thursday challenged Caloocan Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice to a face-to-face discussion before the media to explain the basis of his allegations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his administration.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said she wanted to directly ask Erice where his claims were coming from and urged him to present evidence.

“Si Congressman Erice ang isa sa pinakagusto kong makausap kaharap kayo at tatanungin ko siya nang diretso, ‘Saan nanggagaling ang lahat ng sinasabi mo?’ Bigyan niya ako ng ebidensiya dahil puro ganitong intriga na lang. Mahirap sumagot nang puro intriga. Hindi tayo dapat, tayong mga taga-media, hindi tayo dapat nabubuhay sa intriga lang, intriga at pa-media,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.

Her remarks came after Erice said in a television interview that Marcos’ declaration during his State of the Nation Address that charges should be filed even against his cousin, former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, was merely for optics and would not materialize.

Castro dismissed Erice’s remarks as baseless and founded on theories rather than facts.

“Alam ninyo po sa gobyerno, hindi tayo dapat nabubuhay lagi sa theory. Hindi tayo dapat laging nabubuhay sa paninira,” she said.

Castro also rejected Erice’s assertion that Marcos could not afford to see Romualdez jailed, describing the claim as a product of the lawmaker’s imagination.

“Nakausap niya ba iyong Pangulo nang diretso para malaman niya kung anong damdamin ng Pangulo patungkol dito sa mga taong nasasangkot sa flood control mess? Kasi kung hindi niya nakausap ang Pangulo at hindi niya alam ang damdamin ng Pangulo, huwag siyang magsalita,” Castro said.

“Huwag siyang magsalita na parang may alam siya sa sinasabi ng Pangulo. Wala siyang karapatang maging spokesperson ng Pangulo unless papalitan niya ako dito,” she added.

Castro also challenged Erice over his allegations that some local government officials were involved in a “collect all” scheme involving garbage collection.

She asked whether Erice, as a public official, had taken action over the alleged corruption he had raised.

“So, kung siya ay may alam naman dito at isa siya sa mga public servant at siya ay isa sa mga maingay na nagtutuligsa, gumawa na ba siya ng aksiyon patungkol dito sa mga di-umano’y local government units na nagkakaroon ng korupsiyon patungkol sa pangongolekta ng basura,” Castro said.

Erice has been a vocal critic of several administration policies and government projects, prompting repeated pushback from Palace officials.