TV5 news anchor Gretchen Ho brought levity to a serious political discourse by sharing a photo of herself eating chips while watching President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s recent televised address.
In his November 25 speech, President Marcos addressed the alleged threats against him, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, reportedly made by Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Nakakabahala ang mga pahayag na narinig natin nitong mga nakaraang araw. Nandiyan ang mga walang pakundangang pagmumura at pagbabanta ng planong ipapatay ang ilan sa atin. Kung ganoon na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang Presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga pangkaraniwan na mamamayan? ‘Yang ganyang krimimal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas. ‘Yan ay aking papalagan,” the President stated.
Gretchen took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a snapshot of her watching the President’s speech on her phone while eating “Piattos” chips inside her car. The image subtly referenced the name “Mary Grace Piattos,” a figure linked to financial transactions involving the Office of the Vice President (OVP), flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
“Mary Grace Piattos” was reportedly listed as the signatory on documents for the disbursement of OVP funds, raising questions about her identity and involvement.
In a media interview, Vice President Duterte distanced herself from the controversy, explaining that not all documents submitted to COA go through her:
“I have no comment (regarding Mary Grace Piattos), as I do not oversee all the paperwork submitted by the OVP to COA,” she said.
