President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano | PHOTOS: Official facebook pages of Bongbong Marcos and Maricel Soriano
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday merely laughed off drug use allegations hurled against him and actress Maricel Soriano, as claimed by a document purportedly leaked by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Alleged PDEA files linking Marcos and Soriano to drug use circulated online, with Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa seemingly lending credence to the reports, saying these documents are not fabricated.
Sought for comment in an ambush interview at an event in Pasay City, Marcos brushed off the question with a laugh.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who was with the President during the interview, called the allegation “contrived.”
This is not the first time that the President has laughed off allegations of drug use.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte alleged back in January that Marcos was on the PDEA’s drug watch list.
Asked for a response to his predecessor’s claims, Marcos said he “won’t even dignify the question.”
At a recent Senate hearing, PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo categorically stated that the documents were fake. This, however, was contradicted by former PDEA investigation agent Jonathan Morales, who stood firm on the authenticity of the leaked documents linking Marcos and Soriano to illegal drugs.
Soriano, meanwhile, has yet to give a statement on the matter.