Malacañang has stated that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is choosing to ignore serious drug addiction allegations leveled by his own sister, Senator Imee Marcos, as his administration contends with a "pandemic of lies" and significant governance crises.
The political turmoil for the President intensified this week, converging personal family conflict with formal corruption charges and internal Cabinet discord, raising questions about the stability of his leadership.
Palace Dismisses Senator's "Wild Allegations"
During a rally on Monday, November 17, 2025, Senator Imee Marcos publicly claimed that the President and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos have long been "drug addicts." In response, Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez stated that the President refuses to be distracted from his duties.
"Governance does not stop. The challenge is enormous for us. The President carries great responsibility. And he will not stop. He will not dignify any and all of these wild allegations that are swirling around at the moment," Gomez said.
He reminded the public that the President had already addressed similar accusations during the 2022 campaign by undergoing a drug test at St. Luke's Hospital, which returned a negative result for cocaine use. Gomez expressed sadness that the attack originated from a family member, calling it "very unusual in our Filipino culture."
Graft Charges Filed Against Former Lawmaker
In a separate but simultaneous development, the Office of the Ombudsman filed criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday, November 18, against former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Elizalde "Zaldy" Co and others.
The charges are related to a P289 million road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano detailed the project's irregularities, stating that the sheet pile used did not meet the 12-meter specification and was substandard, suggesting a scheme that led to unwarranted benefits and misuse of public funds.
Co, who is currently abroad, has denied the charges and made a counter-allegation that kickbacks from budget insertions were delivered to Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Marcos. The anti-graft court has since raffled off the graft and malversation cases, with prosecutors recommending no bail for the malversation charge as the amount involved exceeds P8.8 million.
Conflicting Narratives Over Cabinet Reshuffle
The corruption probe has also triggered a Cabinet shakeup, leading to conflicting accounts regarding the departure of former executive secretary Lucas Bersamin. While the Palace announced his "voluntary resignation" out of delicadeza over implicated flood control anomalies, Bersamin insisted he was forced out.
"I did not resign," Bersamin stated, explaining that he received a call on November 17 telling him he had to go, and that the Presidential Communications Office had announced his resignation before he had submitted any formal letter. He has denied any involvement in the alleged budget insertions involving the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Despite the convergence of these challenges, the Palace asserts that the President's position is secure. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that resignation is "not an option" for the administration or the President, emphasizing that he continues to work for the country and will bravely face its problems.
