Philippines’ president accuses predecessor Duterte of peddling lies over budget barb

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MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Monday accused his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte of peddling lies after the former leader said this year’s national budget was invalid, in the latest feud between the former allies ahead of upcoming midterm elections. 

The alliance between the influential Marcos and Duterte families collapsed last year over policy differences and a war of words that included Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter, saying she hired an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife, and cousin in the event that she herself were killed. She has not disclosed a specific threat to her life. 

The elder Duterte said in a Youtube episode that aired on Saturday the national budget was invalid, alleging some items were left unfunded to give Marcos wide discretion to allocate funds.

Marcos, in response, said passing a budget with blank items was not allowed. 

“He’s lying because he knows perfectly well that doesn’t ever happen,” Marcos told reporters. 

His executive secretary Lucas Bersamin said “misinformed and malicious sources” were spreading falsehoods. 

“The peddling of such fake news is outrightly malicious and should be condemned as criminal,” he said in a statement. 

Representatives of Rodrigo Duterte did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Marcos signed the 6.33 trillion Philippine pesos($108.17 billion) budget into law last month, 10% higher than the previous year’s spending plan. Its approval was delayed by more than a week after budget advocates complained of reductions in the area of education and removal of state subsidies for health programmes. 

($1 = 58.5170 Philippine pesos)

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty)