Palace denies Marcos ordered P50M bounty against Dela Rosa

The presidential palace moved to distance the chief executive from the controversial bounty announcement, stating that the offer was issued by security agencies acting within their respective mandates rather than on presidential directive. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the clarification as public scrutiny intensified over the unusually high reward amount targeting the opposition senator.

The DILG and PNP jointly announced the P50-million bounty for Dela Rosa's arrest in connection with outstanding charges. The substantial reward drew criticism from political observers and civil society groups concerned about its unprecedented scale and potential implications for political discourse.

Castro's statement emphasized that both agencies possessed independent authority to issue such bounties as part of their law enforcement responsibilities. Officials did not elaborate on the specific circumstances that prompted the announcement or whether similar rewards had been offered in previous cases.

Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief who has emerged as a vocal government critic in the Senate, has faced mounting legal challenges in recent months. The senator's legal team has consistently denied the allegations underlying the various cases filed against him across multiple courts.