Malacañang has rejected calls for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to undergo a hair follicle drug test, stressing that accusations must come with solid evidence before any demand can be made.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said those pushing for the President to take the test are putting the burden of proof on the wrong side.
“Kahit saan po na kaso, kung sino iyong nagbibintang, siya ang magbigay ng pruweba. Hindi ninyo puwedeng sabihin na, na ito gumagamit, patunayan mong hindi. Hindi po iyon ang tamang logic,” she said in a Palace press briefing on Thursday, April 10. “Kayo pong nagbibintang, kayong humihingi, na nagde-demand sa Pangulo, kayo muna ang magpatunay na mayroon siyang ginagawang mali.”
She added that without any proof, such requests are baseless: “Kapag wala po kayong napatunayan, wala po kayong karapatang humingi sa Pangulo ng anumang demand patungkol sa hair follicle test.”
The Palace also addressed the resurfacing of the so-called “polvoron video” involving the President, which government investigations have confirmed to be manipulated. Castro said the public is no longer in the dark about who may have been responsible for spreading the fake clip.
“So, hindi na po bago ito sa pananaw ng taumbayan kung sino ba talaga ang naging utak o ang nagpakalat ng fake ‘polvoron video’ na ito,” she noted.
The President, she said, has allowed authorities to take charge of the investigation.
“Dahil ito naman po ay inimbestigahan na rin po… napatunayang manipulated ang sinabing video at may face swap – ito ay galing din sa evaluation ng Deepfakes Analysis Unit na part of India-based Misinformation Combat Alliance,” Castro explained.
She stressed that the President’s main concern is ensuring that the truth reaches the public: “Ang nais po lamang ng Pangulo ay maipakita sa taumbayan na hindi totoo ang kanilang pinapakalat na video at hindi totoo ang kanilang ibinibintang sa kaniya.”
Earlier this week, during a congressional hearing, vlogger Pebbles Cunanan alleged that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was involved in distributing the edited video.
