Marcos on his willingness to reconcile with Dutertes: ‘Ayaw ko ng gulo’

National

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has expressed willingness to reconcile with the Duterte family amid a deepening rift.

In his video podcast posted on Facebook, Marcos was asked by broadcaster Anthony Taberna whether he has it in his heart to mend ties with the Dutertes.

“Ako, ayaw ko ng gulo. Gusto ko makasundo sa lahat ng tao. Mas maganda. Marami na akong kaaway at hindi ko kailangan ng kaaway. Kailangan ko kaibigan,” the president said.

Marcos underscored that despite political disagreements, he prefers a “peaceful” environment that allows him and his administration to fulfill their duties. He said he remains open to dialogue and “any approach” of cooperation in pursuit of that goal.

“Ewan ko. Kahit – hangga’t maaari, ako, ang habol ko ay ‘yung stability, peaceful para magawa namin ‘yung trabaho namin,” he said. “Kahit na hindi tayo magkasundo sa polisiya. Gawin mo ‘yung trabaho pero huwag na tayong nanggugulo.”

The tension between Marcos and the Dutertes intensified in mid-2024 after Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from the Cabinet and publicly criticized the administration for alleged irregularities.

The rift escalated further when the House of Representatives—led by Marcos’ cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez—launched a probe into the Office of the Vice President’s confidential funds, eventually resulting in an impeachment complaint against Duterte.

When asked about Duterte’s upcoming impeachment trial, Marcos stated that he has no plans of interfering with the proceedings: “Eh ‘yung impeachment, eh nasa Senado na ‘yan. Pabayaan natin sila. May proseso ‘yan. Pabayaan natin ang proseso.”

Marcos’ podcast aired on Monday, May 19, or a week after the 2025 midterm elections, which marked the second half of his presidency.

He cited two realizations following the turnout of the recent elections: that Filipinos are growing weary of politics and increasingly “disappointed” with the government due to a perceived lack of tangible action.

Marcos said his administration is channeling its efforts on long-term and challenging reforms in key sectors such as health, tourism, and transportation.

“Pero sabi ko, kailangan magawa natin ito. Kasi kung hindi natin gawin, eh paano na? Hanggang dito na lang tayo. Kailangan gumawa tayo ng bago,” Marcos said. “Eh ang nasa isip ko, may magandang kasabihan, if not us, who? If not now, when? Kailangan gawin na natin.”(John Ryan Ledesma, CTU-TC Intern)