Malacañang on Friday cautioned the public against the “dirty tricks” targeting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., saying the smear campaign is intended to destabilize the Chief Executive and his administration.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro lamented that the same individuals from the opposition are resorting to mudslinging to tarnish Marcos’ reputation.

Castro said it is unfortunate that Marcos is being censured in an effort to install his critics’ “master.”

“Sa lahat ng mga ginagawa nila lalong-lalo na ang paninira na walang basehan at kung sino ba ang mga taong nasa likod nito, sila rin naman ang mga taong nais na pabagsakin ang gobyernong ito at patalsikin ang Pangulo sa puwesto at iluklok ang kanilang ‘poon’ (In everything they do, especially the baseless attacks and regarding the people behind these, they are the same people who want to overthrow this government, oust the President, and install their own ‘master’),” she said.

Castro also hit back at former lawmaker and Environment Secretary Mike Defensor for his alleged attempts to discredit Marcos.

She said Defensor, who had “a history of either influencing witnesses or training witnesses, or making witnesses disappear,” appeared to be orchestrating his own “Dirty Tricks Department.”

“So, iyan ay mga gawa-gawang witnesses para masira ang mga taong nais lamang nilang siraan. So, iyan po ang nararanasan natin ngayon – same pattern (These are fabricated witnesses meant to destroy those they want to attack. That’s what we are experiencing now —it’s the same pattern),” Castro said.

“Kung anong nais nila, hindi po natin batid pero ang mga nasa likod nito, alam naman natin kung anong gusto nila (We do not know what they want, but we know what the people behind this want).”

Despite the verbal tirades, Marcos would retain his composure and would not stoop down to their level, Castro said.

“Mabait po ang Pangulo. Sabi nga po natin, hindi po sanay ang Pangulo sa mga salitang mapanakit, mga mura, mapagbanta sa buhay – hindi po sanay ang Pangulo diyan (The President is kind. As we’ve said, the President is not accustomed to hurtful words, curses, or threats to life),” she said.

Castro also urged Filipinos not to allow themselves to be used by the opposition to harm the country.

“At sana, bilang Pilipino, huwag na lamang po silang magpagamit at makakasira po ito para sa ating bansa at para sa maganda sanang pagsulong ng ating bansa. Huwag na po silang magpagamit bilang Pilipino (Hopefully, as Filipinos, they will not allow themselves to be used, because it will harm our country and hinder its progress. They should not be used as tools, as Filipinos).”

AFP Mum On Unverified SocMed Posts

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declined to comment on unverified social media posts claiming that its leadership has ordered “cyber unit commanders” to monitor all forms of communications of Defensor and lawyer Levi Baligod.

“The AFP does not comment on unverified social media posts or alleged internal directives circulated online,” military spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a message to reporters.

The social media posts did not say why the communications of Defensor and Baligod are to be monitored.

Baligod, in a press conference on Tuesday, presented 18 individuals identifying themselves as former Marines who claimed to have delivered PHP805 billion to the President, former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, and other past and present lawmakers. (With a report from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)