Malacanang assured on Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte's support on the senatorial bid of Senator-elect Imee Marcos would not affect his decision to sell the over P700-million worth of jewelry collections seized from the family of late President Ferdinand Marcos during his downfall.

"Some quarters have expressed concern that the publicly acknowledged support given by Senator-elect Imee Marcos could affect the President’s decision on the sale of Congresswoman Imelda Marcos’ jewelry collection. As we have repeatedly assured the nation, the President is no respecter of friendship, political alliance and filial relationship. The President decides on any national matter on the basis of the constitutional command to him to serve and protect the people," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

He said Duterte has ordered concerned government agencies that proceeds from the auction of the jewelry collections must reach the Filipino people.

"The Chief Executive directs that the proceeds must reach our fellow countrymen who are in urgent need of governmental aid with dispatch," said Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel.

He said Duterte would continue to govern the country with public welfare and national interest in his mind, "converting the bureaucracy of the government into an effective and efficient mechanism beneficial to the Filipino people, especially those belonging to the marginalized sectors of society."

"Let it reverberate in every asphalt jungle and wilds of the archipelago, that the President, without fear nor favour, will continue to govern the nation, with an iron political will, laced with compassion and devotion, to effect the desired changes that will uplift the lives of the masses of our people under a regime of peace and order," he said.

The Commission on Audit earlier said Duterte only needs to approve the auction of the Marcos collections composed of the Malacanan Collection, Roumeliotes Collection, and Hawaii Collection being kept in escrow at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Celerina Monte/DMS