Authenticated

In the forthcoming ‘Hakbang ng Maisug’ prayer rally in Dumaguete City, will former president Rodrigo Duterte corroborate the explosive Senate testimony of an ex-law enforcer on the alleged drug use of President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. in 2012? My erstwhile boss has publicly linked the sitting Chief Executive to illegal drugs since 2021. 

As Davao City mayor, Digong recounted seeing a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) report documenting PBBM’s supposed addiction. Was it related to the leaked classified information that recently surfaced online? Vlogger Maharlika, a close supporter-turned-worst enemy of the Marcos family, was responsible for exposing the PDEA documents. Her one-woman crusade to unmask the corruption, insipidness and irregularities in the current dispensation puts the entire Dilawan-Pinklawan and Leftist bloc to shame. She is doing what the current Opposition, probably the most inutile in Philippine political history, should be doing. 

Breaking silence

Thus, my social media followers and Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS) would like to hear from FPRRD. After all, the right of the Filipino people to information on matters of public concern is enshrined in our Bill of Rights. They are also waiting for PBBM to come out in the open. He has been disturbingly silent on the issue. 

The President can no longer sidestep it since former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales has authenticated his 2012 pre-operation and surveillance reports at the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs hearing. Under oath, Morales certified the documents as genuine. Once authenticated, the existence of a document is deemed incontrovertible, according to our rules of court. 

In the interest of public transparency and accountability, the President should clarify if he was a cocaine user 12 years ago. And whether he is addicted to the substance until now. I seem to recall that former congressman Arnie Teves Jr., in an interview, named an individual who allegedly facilitated the President’s confinement in a drug rehabilitation center in Southern Spain before the 2022 national elections. Perhaps the beleaguered lawmaker can further shed light on this matter once the authorities bring him back to the country. 

To be fair, the PDEA reports alone cannot conclusively determine if Marcos Jr. was a confirmed substance abuser then and now. However, a drug test that follows stringent government protocols can do that. For instance, a hair follicle test can determine an individual’s drug use within 90 days. According to OneNews.PH, the test is considered more reliable than urinalysis since it can detect the presence of drugs in a person’s hair cells and the sebum and sweat of the scalp. So, the ball is in PBBM’s court. If he was willing to undergo a drug test in the last campaign season, I do not see why he should avoid another. 

I encourage PBBM to settle the issue once and for all. The people cannot entrust the welfare of the nation to a leader suspected of being perennially addled by dangerous drugs. For instance, the lives and well-being of Filipinos will hang in the balance if the President pursues a more belligerent foreign policy against China. The country is not militarily prepared to go on an armed confrontation with the Middle Kingdom. The Philippines cannot forever rely on the assistance of America and other Western allies. It will be a fool’s errand, as I have said in the past.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive has failed to address the country’s inflation problem. Most Filipinos are getting hungry and remaining poor due to the skyrocketing prices of prime commodities. Around 14.2 percent of Filipino families experienced hunger and not having enough to eat at least once in the past three months. The hunger figure rose by 1.6 percent (Social Weather Stations). The same pollster found 46 percent of families rating themselves as poor while another 30 percent said they are borderline poor. Right now, the focus of his administration should be lifting most Filipinos out of inflation-driven hunger and poverty.  

In a nutshell, PBBM must offer unassailable proof that he is the healthy President – physically, mentally and emotionally – that every Filipino can trust a hundred percent.

Probing

I am relieved that the Senate committee chaired by Senator Bato dela Rosa pushed through with the hearing last Monday. I must applaud the re-electionist lawmaker for risking his political career. He could have chosen to ignore the so-called ‘PDEA Leaks’ case to remain in the good books of the Malaca ñang powers that be. 

While some DDS and ex-Marcos loyalists are sorely disappointed with the conduct of the hearing – focusing on the leakage itself instead of the drug use allegations against then-senator Marcos Jr. and an award-winning actress – I credit Bato for soldiering on. As part of the Lower House that once conducted congressional inquiries, I understand that Bato must observe fairness and impartiality to arrive at a credible resolution. 

For now, I am glad Dela Rosa believes in the authenticity of the documents. The senator is also unconvinced that Artificial Intelligence generated the documents (ABS-CBN News). It contradicts the claims of PDEA officials, who vehemently asserted that the case folder against Marcos Jr. does not exist in official records. 

I was able to interview agent Morales at my “Pulso ng Bayan” program days ago. He struck me as a credible resource person. He spoke with authority over the case. The agent candidly admits to facing several cases in court. But Morales was acquitted in previous charges. Moreover, he has not been convicted of a criminal offense.

Morales admitted to preparing and signing the case files against Marcos Jr. and a TV and movie personality, based on the sworn testimony of a confidential informant (CI). He said the CI presented five stolen shots of the two personalities snorting cocaine, which were taken in different dates and places. The informant was obviously a part of this exclusive group of highly-influential and powerful individuals.

Morales claimed the agency top brass aborted the drug surveillance against Marcos Jr. allegedly upon the orders of then executive secretary Jojo Ochoa. This is why the documents cannot be found in the agency’s web-based data system. The case file against Marcos Jr., which contained the printed or hard copies of the photos, pre-operation report, surveillance reports and the deposition of witness, are in the custody of the PDEA Intelligence and Investigation Service.

Morales has no idea if the informant is still alive. The last time he saw the CI was in 2012.