DAVAO CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday shrugged off former president Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that he is into illegal drugs saying what the latter said is the effect of fentanyl which he has been using for years.
On his way to Hanoi, Vietnam, reporters chanced upon Marcos and asked about his reaction on Duterte’s allegations that he is into drugs.
The President quickly answered “I think this is fentanyl, ang fentanyl is the strongest painkiller that you can buy and it is highly addictive and it has very serious side effects. PRRD has been taking the drug for a very long time now, when was the last time that he told us he has been taking fentanyl, mga five or six years ago something like that, after five to six years, it has to affect, kaya sya nagkakaganyan, I hope his doctors better care of him hindi pinapabayaan ang ganitong problema (then the group laughed) I won’t even dignify the question.”
TRANSLATION : ( “I think this is fentanyl, fentanyl is the strongest painkiller that you can buy and it is highly addictive and it has a very serious side effects, PRRD has been taking the drug for a very long time now, when was the last time that he told us he has been taking fentanyl, about five or six years ago something like that. After five to six years, it has to affect, that’s why he is like that, I hope his doctors take better care of him not neglecting this problem (then the group laughed) I won’t even dignify the question.)”
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police also denied the claim of Duterte saying Marcos has never been on their list.
For his part, House Speaker Martin Romuadlez, the cousin of the President, dared Duterte to show proof of his allegations.
Romualdez was the Speaker when Duterte was still the president, “Mag isip-isip muna kayo kung walang prueba, alam naman natin na hindi totooang mga sinasabi ninyo , walang katotohanan yan tigilan nyo na yong mga budol-dubol nyo, di ba, dapat seryoso na tayo at igalang nalang natin ang ating Presidente, na nagtratrabaho ng maigi at masipag siya?
(“Think for yourself if there is no proof, we know that what you are saying is not true, that is not true, stop tricking, we should be serious and respect our President, who does he work hard and hard?)
Charter Change
The prayer rally in Davao City on Sunday was about opposing people’s initiative.
Duterte called on the Military and the police to watch the movement in Congress because the Marcoses are up to extend their term of office.
Duterte cussed Marcos and even dragged his wife First Lady Lisa Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez for pushing people’s initiative to extend their term saying “There is nothing wrong with the present Constitution.”
“Bakit pumasok sa utak ninyo yang (why did it enter your mind) people’s initiative, there is nothing wrong with the Constitution right now, Duterte stressed.
Raising his point, Duterte even ordered the military and the police “I am calling the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the national Police to protect the constitution, trabaho ninyo yan.”
Duterte’s tirade against charter change surprised former bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares. “During his (Duterte) campaign and even during his stint as the president moved to amend the Constitution through Charter Change to pave the way because he wanted a Federal form of government.”
“Nagulat din ako kay president Duterte kasi sya, tumulak din sya ng Chacha noon eh, kumabaga kasi noon, wala akong narinig sa kanya na parang problema nya sa Charter Change, so nagulat ako sa vehemence ng kanyang bira, but in any case, sa akin that is about to happen.”
(I was also surprised by President Duterte because he, he also pushed Chacha before, it was good because then, I didn’t hear anything from him like he had a problem with the Charter Changer, so I was surprised by the vehemence of his criticism, but in any case, to me that is about to happen).
During the Davao rally, Davao City mayor Sebastian Duterte asked Marcos to resign if he does not love his country anymore.
The young Duterte took a swipe on the issue concerning his father at the International Criminal Court who is investigating the alleged killings of suspected drug dealers in Duterte’s war on drugs.
Reports are rife, members of the ICC visited Davao City early weeks of January 2024 and conducted interviews incognito.
