*Renews calls for mandatory drug testing
DAVAO CITY – Senator Imee Marcos on Monday, November 17, leveled explosive accusations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, claiming they are using illegal drugs—an allegation the Malacañang Palace swiftly dismissed as “desperate.”
According to the senator, her family has long been aware of the president’s supposed drug use. She recalled that during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016 anti-drug campaign, her brother’s name allegedly appeared on a list of public figures linked to illegal drugs.
Senator Marcos said she appealed personally to the former president at the time, urging authorities to target drug dealers first before pursuing users, claiming this intervention kept President Marcos from being publicly implicated.
The senator further alleged that the president’s reported drug problem had intensified and claimed that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was likewise involved in illegal drug use. She also accused the president’s children of involvement with illegal drugs.
Senator Marcos alleged that members of the first family had also pressured her own children and other relatives to use drugs as well, which she can no longer stand. “I knew he was using drugs! I found out, and so did the entire family — they all knew. This is serious,” she said.
Palace, through Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, rejected the senator’s claims, questioning her motives and calling the accusations an attempt to smear her own brother. “This is clearly a desperate move,” Castro said, noting that the rally was about alleged corruption, not drugs.
Sandro Marcos issued a strongly worded response on Tuesday, November 18, saying his aunt Imee had betrayed the family and was no longer acting like “a true sister” to his father. He called all her claims baseless, saying they have no value and do nothing to help the country.
Drug-related allegations against President Marcos have circulated for years and resurfaced once again in 2023 following a video footage, believed to be of him using an alleged illegal drug, which the President vehemently denied.
Following Senator Marcos’s statements, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte reiterated his call for mandatory hair follicle drug testing for government officials, arguing that if officials have nothing to hide, they should willingly comply.
Duterte said the accusations from within the president’s own family only reinforce the need for widespread drug testing. He added that Filipinos deserve clarity, not excuses, and that the president must prove he is not using illegal drugs to maintain public trust.
The United People’s Initiative also weighed in, saying the Palace has failed to offer convincing explanations regarding the allegations. The group warned that declining trust in the presidency poses a threat to national stability and investor confidence. (By Ivy Tejano)
