Malaca±ang: The Philippine government on Monday dismissed allegations made by former president Rodrigo Duterte, who claimed that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was involved in selling the nation's gold reserves. The Palace described these allegations as 'baseless' and accused Duterte of spreading 'intrigues.'

According to Philippines News Agency, in her inaugural press briefing as Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary, lawyer Claire Castro criticized Duterte's statements. She urged the public to question the validity of such unverified claims. Castro drew a parallel to Duterte's infamous 2016 campaign promise to ride a jetski to assert Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, suggesting that his current claim might be similarly unfounded.

Castro questioned whether Duterte understood the operations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and whether he consulted economic experts before making serious accusations. She emphasized that the country's gold reserves are managed exclusively by the BSP, adhering to established protocols to ensure financial stability.

The Palace official challenged Duterte to provide concrete evidence to substantiate his claims. She remarked that his accusations were primarily based on 'intrigues' and called for tangible proof. Duterte's allegations were made during a campaign rally in Cebu, where he also criticized the Marcos administration on various issues, including the resurgence of drug problems in Davao City.

In response, Castro questioned the leadership of Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, the former president's son, and challenged the former leader to present data to support his claims. She inquired whether Duterte's criticisms implied inefficiency on the part of his son and demanded evidence to validate his statements.