MANILA (UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday urged the public to refrain from making assumptions about the demotion of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's rank in the House of Representatives, following a reported ouster plot against his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez.

"If you have been in government long enough, you would have seen many of these... This is just part of reorganization and the Speaker's prerogative as to how he feels the House should be organized," Marcos told reporters in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

"Nangyayari talaga 'yan (it happens). I don't think not any of us know what it all means, where the chips will fall after all of these reorganization. But I don't think it is — I think we should also be careful to not read too much into it," he added.

The President, who had thanked Arroyo for her political guidance in several instances, said the latest development in the House was "run of the mill" and would typically come "once in a while."

The House of Representatives this week demoted Arroyo to Deputy Speaker from Senior Deputy Speaker.

Arroyo on Thursday said that while she had wanted to be House Speaker after Marcos won the presidential elections last year, she "realized the wisdom" about the post going to Romualdez. She also denied that she was plotting to oust Romualdez.

Following Arroyo's demotion, Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said she resigned from Lakas-CMD party, where Romualdez is president.

"I am here today because of the trust of the Filipino people in me to lead and serve them and the country, and this cannot be poisoned by political toxicity or undermined by execrable political power play," she said in a statement.

Marcos interpreted this as Duterte's way of saying she does not want to be "distracted" as he needed to concentrate on her job as the vice president and education secretary.

Marcos said he understood her sentiments.

"She has too much work to do, she cannot be involved in any of these... that's the way I read it," said Marcos.

"Kung titingnan mo kung anong hinaharap niya, marami talaga. She cannot be involved in whatever it is that is going on," he added.

Various blocs in the House meanwhile expressed their support for Romualdez and the President.

• House replaces Arroyo as senior deputy speaker
• Marcos mum on reported Speakership 'coup' plot

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