- Duterte challenges PBBM to take a drug test
FORMER President Rodrigo Roa Duterte dared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take a drug test with an independent clinic to finally quell rumors about his alleged substance abuse problem.
“It is not me who will prove, hindi ako ang tumakbo ng office. It is an accusation against him from the public. It is for him to sit in Luneta Park, magpakuha siya ng dugo doon. Magpakuha rin ako, sige pati ako (I will also submit to a drug test),” FPRRD told the media in a press conference at the Grand Men Seng Hotel on Tuesday evening.
Duterte slammed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which released a statement clearing the President’s name. He said he knows who the President’s supplier is but will hold that identity for now to avoid involving someone else with their issue.
He said the PDEA, which is under the Office of the President, will naturally jump to the rescue when their boss is under fire. Duterte said he would figure out how to retrieve a copy of the drugs watchlist with Mr. Marcos’ name on it and release it to the public.
“Tingnan mo pag nawala na si Marcos, diba maglalabasan na naman yan (Just wait when Marcos steps down, everything will come out in the open),” Duterte said.
The former president recalled that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos once requested Senator Bong Go to ask him to appoint Mr. Marcos Jr. as the agriculture secretary but he refused as he did not want a “drug addict” as his cabinet member.
Duterte also did not endorse Mr. Marcos during the presidential elections despite being a running mate of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Meanwhile, he admitted taking fentanyl prescribed by his physician due to unbearable pain in his spinal column from motorcycle accidents.
Duterte told Marcos Jr. to read the synopsis of fentanyl himself and know it is for medical purposes. He also questioned the President if his alleged use of cocaine had a doctor’s prescription.
“Pero nung naoperahan na ako, okay na ako and that was about seven or eight years ago, shortly before I ran for the presidency. Pagkatapos noon gumaling na ako Mr. president hindi na ako nag fentanyl, hindi ko na kailangan,” FPRRD said.
