Senator Imee Marcos’ recollection of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s alleged struggles with drug use during their youth has triggered a strong response from Malacañang, which called her claims “desperate” and “baseless.”
The senator made the statements on Monday during the second day of the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s peace rally at Rizal Park in Manila, where she recounted what she described as long-standing concerns within their family.
“Even when we were children, the whole family already knew about his problem,” she said, referring to behavior she linked to testimonies from their late father. She added that as they grew older, the situation became “more concerning,” claiming that at times “even the Presidential Guard and Metrocom would help clean up after their parties.” She also said she once urged her brother to marry Liza Araneta-Marcos to bring “stability,” adding, “It was a huge mistake.”
The Palace swiftly rejected these statements, framing them as a deliberate attempt to smear the President and the First Lady.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the allegation had long been disproved, pointing to President Marcos Jr.’s negative drug test at St. Luke’s Medical Center in 2021. “What is the reason behind the desperate move of Sen. Imee Marcos against her own brother and the First Lady? To malign them. It is baseless,” she said in a vlog posted on YouTube.
Castro questioned why the senator is raising the issue now, suggesting it may be linked to ongoing corruption investigations that could implicate some of her allies. She criticized the senator for remaining silent on other political figures’ public admissions. “Now, the President wants to clean this country, why is Sen. Imee Marcos obstructing it?” Castro said. “This allegation has been proven to be false.”
She also noted that critics previously circulated an AI-generated video attempting to depict the President using illegal substances, which was debunked. Castro urged the senator to support the administration’s anti-corruption efforts instead of attacking her brother.
“Condemn the corrupt, do not side with them. Do not hide them. Let President Marcos Jr. work to curb corruption,” she said. “Do not destroy your brother. This is not the issue now. Since you cannot find a corruption issue involving the President, you are diverting the issue. What a shame, Senator Imee, what a shame.”
