MANILA, Nov. 24 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said there is no rift between him and former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin or former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, even as questions remain about the circumstances surrounding their departure from the Cabinet.

"The question about Chief Luke and myself... wala, nag-usap na kami (We've talked already). We understand each other, and we decided to keep it between ourselves. There's no bad blood, there's no acrimonious feeling," Marcos told reporters in Malacanang.

The Palace earlier announced that Bersamin and Pangandaman stepped down "out of delicadeza" after their offices were tagged in allegations of budget insertions in connection with the flood control investiga...