Former Philippine president calls his successor ‘a drug addict’

The former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte accused his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, of being a drug addict who risked being ousted from office in an expletive-laden tirade that underlined the breakdown in relations between the two powerful political families.

Duterte’s speech on Sunday, in which he claimed Marcos Jr’s allies were trying to remove constitutional term limits so they could cling to power, follows long-running speculation about hostilities between the families.

Duterte’s daughter Sara Duterte ran on a joint ticket with Marcos Jr in the 2022 election, winning a landslide victory, and is now his vice-president. However, cracks have since emerged in their alliance.

Marcos Jr told reporters on Monday: “I think it’s the fentanyl,” when asked about Duterte’s remarks, suggesting the drug – which Duterte has admitted taking in the past for pain relief after a motorbike accident – had impaired his judgment. He added that the former president “has been taking the drug for a very long time now … after five, six years, it has to affect him.”

During his speech, Duterte warned Marcos Jr against pursuing any changes to the constitution, warning he could be ousted like his father.

Credit: theguardian.com

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