MANILA, Philippines — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on June 13 that she would continue to defend President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as long as she believes his actions are correct and based on truthful information, while also telling him when she believes he has made a mistake.
In an interview with television host Boy Abunda, Castro said her support for the president depends on her assessment of the facts.
“As long as we will be telling the truth, I will defend him and his actions,” Castro said.
She said she would not defend actions that involve wrongdoing or concealment.
“I cannot defend something if we are hiding something wrong. So as long as I know that what the president is doing is right, I will defend him,” she said.
When asked whether she would continue supporting Marcos if she believed he was no longer doing the right thing, Castro said she would raise her concerns directly with him.
“I will tell him, ‘That’s not correct. That’s wrong. Let’s take action on that,’” she said.
Castro said she maintains a working relationship with Marcos that allows her to provide advice and recommendations when necessary.
She also said the president welcomes honest feedback.
“What the president needs is not people who simply flatter him. He needs people who will provide him with the correct information,” Castro said.
Castro cited a case in which she advised Marcos to review an enrolled bill seeking the naturalization of a foreign national.
“Almost all lawmakers approved it. But I felt that the situation might not turn out well,” she said.
According to Castro, Marcos followed her recommendation and vetoed the measure.
She said the individual later faced accusations related to a kidnapping case.
Castro did not identify the foreign national, but her description matched Chinese national Li Duan Wang, also known as Mark Ong.
Wang’s naturalization bill was filed in the House of Representatives in 2023 and passed on third reading with the support of 211 lawmakers. The measure later advanced to the Senate in 2025, where all senators except Senator Risa Hontiveros supported it.
Hontiveros questioned Wang’s alleged ties to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators, multiple taxpayer identification numbers, and reported links to the Chinese Communist Party.
In April 2025, Marcos vetoed Wang’s legislative naturalization, citing warnings from national agencies regarding the applicant’s background and potential influence.
A month later, Wang’s name surfaced in connection with the kidnapping and killing of Chinese businessman Anson Que and his driver, Armanie Pabillo. Authorities found the victims’ bodies in Rodriguez, Rizal, on April 9, 2025.
Police said two casino junket operations, 9 Dynasty Group and White Horse Club, received ransom payments made by Que’s family. The funds were transferred through several e-wallet accounts before being converted into cryptocurrency.
Hontiveros alleged that Wang served as a junket operator for 9 Dynasty Group.
A lawyer, Castro joined the Presidential Communications Office in February 2025 alongside former PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz.
When Dave Gomez assumed leadership of the agency in July, he retained Castro as Palace press officer and PCO undersecretary.