The public feud within the Philippines‘ most powerful political dynasty escalated dramatically today, 17 November, as Senator Imee Marcos delivered an extraordinary and explosive public accusation against her own brother, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
Speaking to a vast crowd at the Quirino Grandstand during the second day of the Iglesia ni Cristo’s anti-corruption rally, the Senator claimed that the sitting President is a drug user.
The shocking claims, which send tremors through Malacañang Palace, are not limited to the President alone. Senator Marcos expanded her attack by alleging that the President’s dependency has dramatically worsened because First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos is also a user.
The public allegation, a direct strike from within the family, significantly amplifies the political crisis already engulfing the administration over massive corruption scandals.
Imee Marcos’s Serious Claims Against The President
The claims were delivered candidly during the rally, held by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo group. The President’s sister broke her silence, stating that the addiction is a ‘serious’ concern that the family is well aware of.
Senator Marcos’s words were direct in their accusation of her brother’s long-term habit. She stated that she had known that he takes drugs, and that her family and she found out. The family found out, this is serious.
Recalling the earlier years of her brother’s dependency, she spoke of trying to manage the issue when the President was younger. She noted that while it was not her responsibility then, as he got older, the issue became more alarming. She mentioned that the family would sometimes clean up after his parties.
The serious accusations place a major personal and political burden on the President, who is already defending his government against allegations of kickbacks related to flood infrastructure funds worth billions of pesos.
These claims also amplify the existing political hostilities between the Marcos administration and opposition figures, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, who previously accused President Marcos Jr. of drug use.
Senator Imee Marcos’s Regret Over The First Lady
The Senator escalated her claims by including the First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, in her serious allegations. According to Imee, the First Lady is complicit, and their marriage has only compounded the severity of the President’s dependency.
His drug addiction got worse because they are both users, the Senator declared. She then revealed a deeply personal family regret, admitting she was the one who originally encouraged her brother to marry Liza Araneta-Marcos.
I even convinced Bongbong, ‘just marry Liza’… that was a big mistake on my part—the drug addiction got worse, she confessed to the rally attendees. This extraordinary public admission paints a picture of a profound breakdown not just in the nation’s highest political ranks, but in the heart of the Marcos family itself.
The public nature of this family feud, taking place at a major demonstration against corruption, ensures the allegations will dominate political discussion both in Manila and internationally for the foreseeable future.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
