MANILA — Malacañang came out swinging after Senator Imee Marcos publicly accused her own brother — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. — his wife, and even their son of long-running drug abuse during her speech on the second day of an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally in Manila.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro slammed the senator’s claims as a “desperate move,” calling her allegations baseless and timed to distract from corruption issues raised at the protest.

“Ang pinag-uusapan sa peaceful rally ay patungkol sa diumanong korapsyon. Ano ang dahilan ni Senator Imee para ang sarili niyang kapatid ay siraan niya?” Castro said.

Imee’s explosive speech at the Quirino Grandstand accused the President of decades-long drug use and dragged the First Lady into the mess, saying, “‘mas lumala ang pagkalulong… dahil parehas pala silang mag-asawa.” She even urged her brother to seek treatment: “tama na ading ko tapusin mo na ang paghihirap mo at ng bayan… umuwi na tayo magpagamot magpagaling…”

The Drug Test Says Otherwise: Malacañang

Castro fired back with what she said was hard proof: the President’s voluntary drug test before the 2022 elections.

“Alam naman natin na nagkaroon na ng drug test noon pang bago mangampanya ang ating Pangulo… ‘President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did test negative for cocaine in 2021, a drug analyst from St. Luke’s Medical Center confirmed Monday.’ So, ano ang dahilan ng desperadong galawan ni Senator Imee Marcos laban sa sarili niyang kapatid… kung itong test na ‘to… na siyang kinumpirma ng St. Luke’s na negative ang Pangulo pagdating sa drug test,” Castro said.

She accused the senator of reviving old, debunked smears — including AI-generated videos — to shield political allies facing corruption probes.

“Bakit siya masyadong concerned ngayon about diumanong paggamit ng drug test samantala ang dating Pangulong Duterte umaming nagma-marijuana at nag-fentanyl. Hindi niya cinall-out,” she added.

Castro urged Imee to support the President’s cleanup efforts instead of attacking him: “Ang Pangulo ang gustong maglinis ng kalat nung nakaraan… Tuligsain na lahat ang mga korap. Huwag niyo pong kampihan, huwag niyong itago.”

“Dangerously Irresponsible” — Sandro Marcos

Presidential son and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos unleashed a blistering response after his aunt claimed even he and the presidential children were involved in drugs — and had allegedly offered drugs to her own sons.

“I’m telling you that he uses drugs… His drug addiction got worse because he and his wife use drugs,” Imee said in her speech. “We won’t stay quiet because I found out that even his children do drugs now. I loathe that Sandro and his mother offered drugs to my children and our other relatives. I won’t let that pass.”

Sandro rejected every word of it. “It pains me to see how low she has gone, to the point that she resorts to a web of lies aimed at destabilizing this government to advance her own political ambitions,” he said.

“To further repeat an accusation against President Bongbong Marcos and the First Lady and, for the first time ever, myself, that is not only false but dangerously irresponsible. All that the senator mentioned has no basis, no truth, and no good intentions for the country,” he added.

He said his cousins — Borgy Manotoc, Vice Gov. Matthew Manotoc, and Atty. Michael Manotoc — could all confirm he’s clean.

A Family Feud Goes Public

Sandro also lamented how the rift between the siblings has now exploded into the open.

“We always agreed that whatever happened between our parents, we wouldn’t let ourselves be dragged in,” he said. “That is why it makes me sad to see her do this. For her to betray her own family brings a lot of pain to me as a consequence of my respect [for] her for giving me my start in public life.”

“This is not behavior from a true sister,” he added.

📷 PCO