Manila: Malaca±ang said Tuesday Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman quit their posts voluntarily and were not pressured to resign.

According to Philippines News Agency, in a radio interview over DZBB, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the two executives continue to enjoy the trust of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Castro emphasized that the resignations were voluntary, as the President still has confidence in their capabilities. “Kusang loob (na nag-resign), kasi may tiwala naman po ang Pangulo sa kanila (They resigned voluntarily. The President still trusts them),” she pointed out.

Castro further mentioned that President Marcos does not believe in the allegations made by former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co. She clarified that the decision to resign was made by Secretary Mina and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin themselves. “At hindi naman naniniwala ang Pangulo sa mga katha-kathang isip, or rather katha-kathang kuwento nitong si Zaldy Co. Pero si Secretary Mina na at tsaka si ES Lucas Bersamin ang nag-decide po, kaya sige po, pagbigyan (The President does not believe in the made-up stories of Zaldy Co. But Secretary Mina and ES Lucas Bersamin decided to quit),” she added.

Meanwhile, Castro stated that Malaca±ang would support the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) if it decides to open an investigation into the actions of the two former officials. “Ok lang po, wala naman pong pipigilan ang Palasyo at tingin ko naman ay handa naman si Sec. Mina at si ES Bersamin pagdating po diyan (That is okay. The Palace does not block the efforts [of the ICI] and I think Sec. Mina and ES Bersamin are ready, should it come to that),” she said.

The announcement of the resignation of the two executives came on Monday after Co implicated them in the controversy surrounding the 2025 national budget. Pangandaman had earlier refuted Co’s claims regarding the alleged PHP100 million insertion request in this year’s budget, clarifying that “all appropriations ordered by the President are already in the National Expenditure Program.”