The President is calling for reconciliation. But not at any price.
Speaking after the 46th Asean Summit, he addressed speculation that his outreach to political rivals, particularly allies of former President, came with expectations.
Chief among them: a push from Duterte loyalists to secure the former president’s return from The Hague, where he faces preliminary examination by the International Criminal Court over his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Marcos dismissed the idea of quid pro quo: “No, no, no, no, no, no. No,” he said firmly. “That’s not how reconciliation works. You don’t put conditions on peace.”
He argued real healing doesn’t start with ultimatums.
“If you’re sincere, then let’s sit down. Let’s ask: What went wrong? And how do we fix it?”
His message was clear: a bid to separate statesmanship from partisanship.
“That’s not reconciliation,” he added. “That’s not even negotiation. That’s demanding.”
“If I can fix it, I will fix it. If it needs listening, I will listen.”
“I don’t want an enemy,” he said. “I want to govern.”