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Palace Press Officer Claire Castro conducts a press conference in Malacañan Palace on February 24, 2025.
RTV Malacañang via Youtube
MANILA, Philippines — An old clip of now-Palace Press Officer Claire Castro having an emotional outburst has resurfaced following her appointment in Malacañang, which she described as part of a demolition job against her.
The viral video, originally posted on INQUIRER.net’s YouTube page in 2015, showed a fiery Castro raising her voice at police officials while being detained at the Manila Police District.
In the footage, she is seen questioning officers about why her client was dragged away without a warrant of arrest.
More than nine years after the incident, Castro now stands in Malacañan Palace. Given the chance, she said she would do it all over again.
“Why? Because I did that for justice,” she said.
Her male client was supposed to meet his estranged partner for coffee at a mall to settle matters regarding their child.
However, police personnel, allegedly in civilian clothing, arrested him. Castro and her husband went to the police station where her client was being held.
Castro said she questioned the officers about the warrant and the nature of the complaint but was ignored.
She then heard a police officer yell for her to be jailed as well. Castro, her husband and her secretary were all detained.
The Palace press officer complained that the news outlet which published the video did not present the full story, as she was never interviewed.
“Noong nandidiyan ako, na-detain ako, sabi ko, ‘Okay lang, parang si Jose Rizal. Hero lang ang dating’,” she said.
(So I was there, I was detained, I said ‘It’s okay, it’s like Jose Rizal. Like a hero.’)
Castro urged the public not to believe spliced videos and fake news.
Some social media posts also claimed that she is related to progressive ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro. The Palace press officer clarified that they are not related but said she would be proud if they were.
“The problem is, hindi eh. So, pati ba si Fidel Castro ng Cuba ay kamag-anak ko?” she said.
(The problem is, I am not. So am I also related to Fidel Castro?)
Claire Castro made waves on her first day as Palace press officer, delivering strong remarks against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The former chief executive had accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of stealing the country’s gold reserves. Castro slammed Duterte for his history of making wild, unsubstantiated claims.
