Palace condemns alleged plot to frame Executive Sec. Recto

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday condemned an alleged character assassination plot against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, saying those behind it should be held accountable if the claims are proven true.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said the alleged scheme was “appalling,” “unacceptable,” and “inhumane.”

“If this is proven to be true, especially since there are witnesses and individuals who have identified the person who allegedly ordered them to destroy the character of Executive Secretary Recto, then this is a despicable act,” Castro said.

She said the Marcos administration rejects such tactics and instead follows due process.

“This is exactly what the government wants to avoid. That is why we have due process. The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. follows legal procedures,” she said.

The National Bureau of Investigation will subpoena Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste and former Negros Oriental Rep. Jing Paras this week over an alleged honeytrap and human trafficking plot to frame Recto.

Castro, however, cited that it was “possible” that Recto was not only the intended victim of the scheme, citing reports that the alleged sexual entrapment plan also targeted other members of the Cabinet.

“That is why we need to determine the full truth,” she said.

Castro also dragged Vice President Sara Duterte and the previous administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte into the issue.

“We do not want to repeat what we experienced during the previous administration, yet they continue to engage in these kinds of actions,” Castro said.

“This is not the first time. We have seen and observed many instances where so-called witnesses from their supporters were allegedly fabricated,’ she added.

Paras served in several high-ranking roles during former President Duterte’s term: as undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, undersecretary of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, and presidential adviser on political affairs with a rank of secretary.

Both Leviste and Paras had denied any role in the alleged plot.

NBI director Melvin Matibag earlier said the “bugaw” scheme was exposed during an entrapment operation at a five-star hotel in Malate, Manila, on July 28.

The entrapment resulted in the arrest of talent manager Lito de Guzman and five female talents who were taken into protective custody.

According to Matibag, De Guzman claimed that Paras had contacted him to recruit four women and have them fabricate statements accusing Recto of forcing them to engage in sex and use illegal drugs. They were to be paid P5 million in total for the scheme.

De Guzman also told the NBI that Leviste was the financier of the plot, according to Matibag.

The NBI had seen the exchange of messages between De Guzman and Paras, and that it had authenticated the number as belonging to the former lawmaker.

The feud between Recto and Leviste, who are both from Batangas, sparked in May, when the neophyte lawmaker delivered a speech at the House of Representatives accusing the executive secretary of corruption and vote-buying.

However, Leviste was called out by his colleagues for making accusations based on hearsay.

In a strongly worded response, Recto denied the accusations, and retorted that it was Leviste who attempted to bribe him at least twice to influence elections and to grab hectares of sugar plantation lands in Batangas province.

He cited how Leviste offered P1 billion to him to urge his wife, Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, to withdraw from the gubernatorial race in the 2025 elections so he could take her place.

Recto called Leviste “a bitter brat, [and] prone to tantrums, even bad-mouthing the woman who gave birth to him in front of many people.”