How the Dutertes Sold the Nation’s Gold While Robbing Filipinos Blind

Rodrigo Duterte is once again spreading baseless conspiracies in a desperate attempt to stay politically relevant. His latest claim? That President Bongbong Marcos is secretly selling off the country’s gold reserves. But as usual, Duterte is lying to the Filipino people, and this time, even the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has publicly refuted him.

The real irony? Duterte himself oversaw major gold sales during his term, while his administration was riddled with corruption, plunder, and economic mismanagement—most infamously through the Pharmally scandal during the pandemic. If anyone robbed Filipinos blind, it was Duterte.

BSP Confirms: Marcos Jr. Didn’t Secretly Sell Gold, But Duterte Wants You to Believe Otherwise

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which legally manages the country’s gold reserves, has officially dismissed Duterte’s claims that gold reserves are being looted under the Marcos administration.

• BSP regularly reports gold transactions—these are not secret deals but part of routine monetary management.
• Gold reserves are sold and bought as part of standard financial operations, ensuring economic stability.
• The BSP has confirmed that all transactions remain accounted for within the Gross International Reserves (GIR), meaning no gold was “stolen” or secretly liquidated.

Duterte knows this. He just doesn’t want Filipinos to know the truth.

Duterte’s Pandemic Gold Rush: What He Doesn’t Want You to Remember

Here’s the part Duterte’s trolls won’t tell you: Under his administration, the BSP also engaged in gold transactions, particularly during the pandemic—yet Duterte never raised a word about it back then.

Instead, while gold reserves were being actively managed, Duterte was orchestrating the biggest corruption scandal of the pandemic: the Pharmally heist.

• Billions of pesos meant for pandemic relief were funneled into dubious contracts awarded to Pharmally, a company with no track record and direct links to Duterte’s allies.
• Overpriced and substandard medical supplies were purchased, while hospitals ran out of proper protective gear.
• Duterte blocked investigations into Pharmally’s corruption, protecting his cronies instead of holding them accountable.

While Filipinos were suffering, Duterte and his allies were enriching themselves. And now, to distract from his crimes, he’s fabricating stories about gold disappearing under Marcos Jr.

The Marcos Presidency Wouldn’t Even Exist Without Duterte’s Backing

The ultimate hypocrisy of Duterte’s latest conspiracy theory? He created the Marcos presidency in the first place.

• It was Duterte’s endorsement that gave Bongbong Marcos the political push he needed to win in 2022.
• Duterte’s disinformation army helped clean up the Marcos name, rewriting history to make Bongbong palatable to voters.
• Duterte’s administration facilitated the return of the Marcoses to power—and now, he wants Filipinos to believe that Marcos is the true plunderer?

This is nothing more than a desperate power play. Duterte is losing influence, his political dynasty is collapsing, and his daughter is on the verge of impeachment. The solution? Attack the very people he once helped, hoping to manipulate Filipinos once again.

Duterte’s Real Endgame: Political Survival

Duterte knows that his own corruption is catching up to him.

• The Senate is shifting against him. With more Anti-Duterte senators in 2025, Duterte’s ability to manipulate Congress will be gone.
• Sara Duterte is facing impeachment. The Marcos camp is distancing itself from the Dutertes, meaning Duterte is now vulnerable.
• His troll army is losing power. More Filipinos are fact-checking disinformation, making Duterte’s internet propaganda less effective.

So what does a dictator do when he’s cornered? He lies, manipulates, and hopes people forget his crimes.

Filipinos Must Reject Duterte’s Lies—Again

Duterte wants Filipinos to believe that gold reserves are being stolen, but the real theft happened under his administration.

• He robbed Filipinos of pandemic funds through Pharmally.
• He protected corrupt officials while ordinary citizens suffered.
• He handed over Philippine sovereignty to China while gaslighting the nation.

And now, he wants Filipinos to forget all of it by fabricating a gold conspiracy against Marcos.

Filipinos must not fall for this trap.

• Verify facts before believing Duterte’s lies.
• Reject disinformation and call out fake news online.
• Support independent journalism that exposes real corruption.
• Hold Duterte accountable for his real crimes—because no amount of fake conspiracies will erase them.

Duterte may have once controlled the narrative, but history will not be kind to him. And this time, the Filipino people will not be fooled.