PRESIDENTIAL Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed on Monday claims by former president Rodrigo R. Duterte that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had a hand in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) sale of gold reserves, describing them as “campaign joke.”
In a Palace briefing, Undersecretary Castro said that selling the country’s gold reserves, which form part of the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR), is a regular activity of the BSP to help stimulate the economy.
“Sinabi nga dito ang pagbebenta ng gold, kung mataas ang dapat ibenta,” she said.
The undersecretary said the government will take such erroneous statements seriously, and counter them with correct information.
“We will take this seriously para naman hindi magkaroon ng fake news lalo na sa mga taong nakikinig sa kanya, at maaaring naniniwala,” Undersecretary Castro said.
In a statement, the BSP said the country’s GRI is held and managed solely by the central bank for the foreign exchange requirements of the country. Proceeds of any sales stay within the GRI.
The BSP also assured they will maintain a portion of its reserves in gold to safeguard “against offset, movements in the market price of other assets.”
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