Word war between two presidents intensifies, as Duterte calls Marcos “bangag” anew

Metro Manila, Philippines - The verbal clash between two presidents intensifies as former chief executive Rodrigo Duterte takes a jibe at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. anew, reasserting allegations linking him to illegal drugs.

In a proclamation rally by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) on Thursday, Feb. 13, Duterte was straightforward in calling the incumbent president “bangag” (high on drugs) - an accusation that escalated the divide between Marcos and the Dutertes. The former president first linked Marcos to illegal substances in January 2024.

“Kung ako ang durugista at bakit sa utak ko, bakit hindi? Tutal kasama ko naman si Presidente sa hithitan...Meron isang presidente na talagang bangag,” said Duterte.

“Hindi naman buang pero iyong bisyo ng droga long term iyon. Maging ulol si Marcos. Maybe constant use of heroin, aabot pa siguro siya ng otsenta. Pero pagdating sa panahon na iyan, hindi na siya gumagalaw,” he said.

[Translation: "If I were the drug addict and why in my mind, why not? After all, I’m with the President while smoking...There’s one president who’s really on high. He’s not gone mad, but drug addiction is long-term. Marcos could lose his sanity. Maybe with constant heroin use, he might even reach eighty. But by that time, he wouldn’t be moving anymore]

In November 2024, Duterte’s daughter Vice President Sara Duterte had said she “agrees with the assumption that the president is a drug addict.

Meanwhile, Duterte also slammed the administration for its alleged failure to cut rice prices.

“The guy is simply taking his time to come up with a solution to the problem. Kagaya nitong bigas which is really tumatama yan sa tiyan pati sa puso ng Pilipino, hindi niya nakuha iyong pinaka-either subsidize or whatever but it goes on up and up and nahihirapan ang Pilipino to cope up (sic),” Duterte said.

[Translation: “The guy is simply taking his time to come up with a solution to the problem. The rice issue for example is a banal issue for Filipinos - he was not able to subsidize. The price of the grain goes on up and up and Filipinos have difficulty coping.”]

In his campaign during the 2022 elections, Marcos had vowed to bring down rice prices to P20 per kilo - his key promise to woo voters.

The government has recently declared a food emergency on rice, which would allow the sale of buffer stocks to address costly rice at the retail level.

Marcos earlier highlighted the track record of his candidates, and seemingly alluded to the failures of the Duterte administration.

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