Duterte claims Marcos’ drug use will turn him into a human statue by 80

MANILA, Philippines - Rodrigo Duterte is at it again, throwing fresh accusations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is using drugs—this time, predicting that constant heroin use will leave Marcos frozen in place by age 80.

Speaking in his signature mix of sarcasm and straight-up allegations, Duterte claimed that if he were an addict, it wouldn’t matter since he and Marcos would be “getting high together.”

The former president’s wild statements left the public wondering if this was another episode of his on-again, off-again drug accusations, considering he previously called Marcos “bangag” before taking it back.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) swiftly denied Duterte’s claims, saying Marcos was never on any drug watch list.

Not one to back down, Marcos fired back with his own diagnosis—suggesting that Duterte’s fentanyl use might be behind his statements.

Meanwhile, in a twist of irony, Duterte’s son, Rep. Paolo Duterte, has pushed for mandatory drug testing for public officials—including the president. His sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, is all for it, saying it will help ensure officials are, well, in their right minds. Given the state of political discourse, that might be wishful thinking.