Former senator and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. tests negative after undergoing a drug test that followed President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that one of the male presidential candidates for the May 2022 national elections is a cocaine user.

“I really don’t feel that I am the one being alluded to. In spite of that, I believe it is my inherent duty as an aspiring public official to assure my fellow Filipinos that I am against illegal drugs,” Marcos, Jr. said in a statement.

BBM’s spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez submitted the presidential aspirant’s drug test result to PDEA, NBI, and PNP. “This is why I took a cocaine test yesterday and the result was submitted this morning to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the office of the Chief of the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the National Bureau of Investigation,” Bongbong said.

“Let me reiterate my assurance to my fellowmen, especially to the supporters of BBM-Sara Uniteam, that I am, and will remain, a vigilant anti-illegal drugs campaigner,”  Marcos Jr. added, also referring to his running mate and PRRD’s daughter, Sara Duterte.

While President Duterte did not specify the presidential aspirant he was referring to, presidential candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson had gone drug testing as well, alongside his running mate and vice presidential aspirant Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.  

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has earlier addressed that a candidate’s substance or drug abuse is not included among the grounds for disqualifying an aspirant for public office, after the Supreme Court disapproved the COMELEC’s move to require candidates to submit a negative drug test several elections ago.