Palace denies Roque claim Marcos wants truce with VP Duterte: Lies!

On Monday, February 23, 2026, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made claims on social media that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wanted to reconcile with Vice President Sara Duterte. Roque cited an unnamed source suggesting Marcos sought to mend ties from their 2022 "Uniteam" alliance, but concluded that reconciliation was impossible due to Duterte's character, stating "the train has left the station" with no turning back. Roque, who served as spokesperson under former President Rodrigo Duterte and was retained as private legal counsel by Marcos (for a symbolic P20 fee as of 2022), has ties to both administrations.

The Malacañang Palace immediately denied these claims on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued a strong rebuttal via Viber message to journalists, labeling Roque's statements as "lies," "fabricated," and "beauty parlor stories." Castro criticized Vice President Duterte for believing Roque's misinformation, describing her as unwilling to reconcile, unhelpful, and focused on her own narratives for relevance rather than national service. Castro emphasized that President Marcos prioritizes public service while others are in "campaign mode."

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This incident occurs within the context of ongoing political tensions between the Marcos and Duterte camps since their 2022 electoral alliance fractured. Key background events include Vice President Sara Duterte's resignation from the Marcos Cabinet in June 2024 amid tensions over drug use allegations and heated exchanges, and Marcos's November 2024 shift in stance committing the government to International Criminal Court (ICC) responsibilities. The political climate is further complicated by the March 11, 2025 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte (Sara's father) on an ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, with him currently detained in Scheveningen, The Hague.

The Palace has also recently dismissed separate claims by Duterte's lawyer Nicholas Kaufman that Marcos aimed to "neutralize" Rodrigo Duterte's legacy, calling those assertions "preposterous" and noting that ICC cases began in 2017 when Marcos was not in office. No official statements from President Marcos or Vice President Duterte directly confirm or expand on Roque's claim, with the Palace response being the sole official rebuttal. These exchanges highlight persistent divides between the political families and their supporters in Philippine politics.