Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has vehemently denied shocking allegations from his estranged sister, Senator Imee Marcos, that he is a long-term cocaine addict whose alleged drug dependence has affected his ability to govern.
Family Feud Erupts Over Drug Claims
The extraordinary family conflict emerged publicly when Senator Imee Marcos made the damaging accusations during a speech before a large religious rally in Manila. She claimed her brother's alleged drug addiction began during their father's presidency and has continued to the present day, affecting both his health and decision-making capabilities.
The senator further alleged that the president's wife and children were also drug users, though she provided no evidence to support these serious claims. She acknowledged that she and her brother have barely spoken since he assumed the presidency in 2022.
Corruption Investigations Spark Political Tensions
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the allegations as baseless and suggested they might represent a desperate attempt to distract from ongoing corruption investigations. Multiple government bodies, including an independent fact-finding commission created by President Marcos and a Senate committee, are investigating claims that influential politicians received substantial kickbacks from construction companies.
The corruption scandal centres on flood control projects that turned out to be substandard, incomplete, or entirely nonexistent despite lucrative contracts. This has provoked public anger in a country frequently devastated by deadly flooding and typhoons.
Castro directly challenged Senator Marcos, stating: "Senator Imee, I hope you'll be a patriot and help in the investigation that your own brother has been doing and condemn all the corrupt. Don't side with them, don't hide them. Let President Marcos work to stop all the corruption."
Political Alliances and Historical Context
The allegations occur against a backdrop of complex political relationships. Senator Imee Marcos is a prominent ally of President Marcos's harsh critic and predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte himself was arrested on an International Criminal Court warrant in March and detained in the Netherlands for alleged crimes against humanity related to his brutal anti-drug crackdown that left thousands dead.
Duterte's family and supporters have blamed the Marcos administration for what they describe as the former president's illegal arrest. Vice-President Sara Duterte, the ex-leader's daughter, has become one of the current president's most vocal critics.
This isn't the first time drug allegations have surfaced against President Marcos. Early last year, Rodrigo Duterte claimed in a speech that his successor was a drug addict who had appeared on law enforcement lists of suspected drug users. Marcos laughed off those allegations at the time but countered that Duterte had used fentanyl, a powerful opioid.
In 2021, when Marcos was a presidential candidate, his spokesperson presented two reports from a private hospital and the national police laboratory showing he had tested negative for both cocaine and methamphetamine.
The escalating conflict between the presidential siblings and their respective political allies highlights the deepening political divisions in the Philippines as corruption investigations continue to unfold.
