By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza And Beatriz Marie D. Cruz Journalists
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hit back Monday at his predecessor Rodrigo R. Duterte, who called him a “drug addict,” saying the firebrand leader’s fentanyl use could have affected his judgment.
“I think it’s fentanyl,” Mr. Marcos told reporters shortly before leaving for Vietnam in response to claims Mr. Duterte made on Sunday while speaking at a rally in his city native of Davao against measures to amend the country’s Constitution.
Asked about the accusations of drug use and the call for his resignation, Mr. Marcos said the former president “has been taking drugs for a very long time now…After five, six years, it must be affecting him.”
In 2016, Mr. Duterte admitted that he took fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid, to relieve pain after a motorcycle accident. “I hope his doctors will take better care of him,” Mr. Marcos said.
Mr. Duterte also said that Mr. Marcos was on the anti-drug agency’s so-called “narcotics list” submitted to him while he was still mayor of Davao City, an accusation that the agency Philippine drug fighter vehemently denied it.
House Speaker and presidential cousin Martin G. Romualdez urged Mr. Duterte to prove his drug allegations.
“The current discourse between the two warring factions is certainly not helping the community of drug users who have historically been most affected by public stigma,” said physician RJ Naguit, who leads the Youth for Mental Health Coalition , Inc. in a Viber message.
“Their statements, which appear to use drug use as a political weapon, further distract public discourse from conversations focused on public health interventions and other ways to support people whose lives involve drugs,” a- he added.
“Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved to treat severe pain, usually advanced cancer pain,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Anthony Borja, who teaches political science at De La Salle University, said the exchange between Mr. Marcos and Duterte’s father-son tandem “can be interpreted not only as intense and insignificant, but also as something situated between contradictory tendencies of the family. and professionalism in politics.
“This reflects how Imee Marcos and Sara Duterte are trying to stay away from the fray by focusing on political issues,” he said via Messenger chat.
Their supporters can either condemn them for not taking a clear stand in favor of their family members or appreciate their efforts to stay above the smears, he said.
‘CUSTOMER ALLIANCE’
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives affirmed its “strong and wholehearted support” for President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. through a resolution after Mr. Duterte’s tirade.
At a political rally in Davao City on Sunday, the city’s mayor, Sebastian Z. Duterte, the ex-president’s son, urged Mr. Marcos to step down.
Vice President and Quezon Rep. David C. Suarez called the younger Mr. Duterte’s remarks “totally disrespectful to the man given the position he holds.”
At the Davao rally, Mr. Duterte accused Mr. Romualdez and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos of spearheading efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution through a popular initiative.
The anti-Charter change rally, also attended by presidential sister Sen. Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos, took place on the same day the government held a rally in Manila to launch its brand of governance called “Bongong Pilipinas » (Philippine News). which was attended by Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio. She also later attended the Davao rally.
The quarrels between Mr. Marcos and the Dutertes were only about “their families” and not the issues facing ordinary Filipinos, Jean Encinas-Franco, who teaches political science at the University of the Philippines, said in a Facebook chat Messenger.
“All of this is consistent with the clientelistic nature of the alliance – it favors each other, no political honesty and invokes tribal/traditional Filipino values,” said Hansley A. Juliano, a political science professor at the University Ateneo de Manila, via Messenger chat.
In a statement, the president said he was disconcerted by Duterte’s seemingly contradictory stance on moves to amend the Charter, noting that the tough-talking leader had based his entire presidential campaign on moving to a form of government parliamentary.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday suspended all procedures related to a popular initiative for constitutional changes.
House leaders declared their support for Resolution 6 of both chambers tabled in the Senate, which proposes amendments to the economic provisions of the Charter.
The Senate resolution was authored by Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and Senators Loren Legarda and Juan Edgardo Angara.
The House’s collaboration with the Senate constitutes a “shared commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive and forward-thinking economic landscape, ensuring that prosperity reaches every corner of our country,” House political party leaders said in their common manifesto.
Last week, the 24-member Senate issued a statement against the popular initiative, saying it was “ridiculous” for the Senate to play a “superfluous and diluted role” in the “Cha-cha” campaign.
Also on Monday, Mr. Zubiri said the President was set to ask the House to repeal its drive to amend the Constitution through popular initiative.
“The President is preparing to appeal to the House of Representatives and other initiators of the popular initiative to put an end to this,” he declared in plenary.
Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, head of the presidential communications office, did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.
“The President has expressed the need to protect the bicameral nature of Congress, which maintains the system of checks and balances within the legislative branch,” he said in a privilege speech. — with Reuters
