E.S. Bersamin clarifies 'clean your house' remark amid House query

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin clarified his "clean your house first" remark, stating it was not intended to malign the House of Representatives but to emphasize the constitutional separation of powers.

Bersamin's statement came after he accused some House members of shifting blame for their own corruption and failures to the Executive Branch.

He explained that the remark was meant to elicit cooperation and stress institutional separation, not to create tension between departments.

The clarification followed House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan's request for an explanation during a budget briefing for the Office of the President.

Previously, Bersamin asserted the Cabinet would not tolerate attacks on the executive branch's integrity and warned that investigations into anomalies would be futile if corruption sources remained unchecked.