NOTHING BUT ‘BUDOL’ STATEMENTS
Romualdez hits back at Duterte over accusations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is ‘drug addict’
MANILA – House Speaker Martin Romualdez dared former President Rodrigo Duterte to substantiate his accusations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he is a “drug addict” and have always been “bangag,” a local term commonly used by Filipinos to describe someone who is high on drugs.
In a statement, Romualdez said that Duterte’s accusation is nothing more than “budoldudol” stories from Davao.
“So unless you have proof na ‘yung mga alegasyon ninyo na kung bakit nananawagan dyan na sa ating mahal na Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos na bumaba sa pwesto, sana mag isip-isip muna kayo. Mag-isip muna kayo at ilabas ‘yung mga pruweba. Kasi alam natin hindi totoo ang mga sinasabi ninyo,” he said.
(So unless you have proof of your allegations as to why there is a call for our dear President Ferdinand R. Marcos to step down, I hope you will think about it first. Think first and bring out the proofs. Because we know what you are saying is not true.)
The House Speaker urged the Dutertes to respect Marcos, who was elected by the Filipino people.
“Sa pamilyang Duterte, siguro konting galang naman sa ating mahal na presidente, tsaka sa pamilya n’ya. Noong panahon ng rehimen n’yo, iginalang naman kayo. Masyadong maaga naman ninyo gustong ipabagsak ang rehimen ng President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Very popular and he was elected with a bigger mandate than the former president. Kaya’t igalang naman natin ‘yan. ‘Yan po ang mandato ng taumbayan ng Pilipinas,” he said.
(To the Duterte family, maybe a little respect for our dear president and his family. During your regime, you were respected. You want to overthrow the regime of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. too soon. He is very popular and was elected with a bigger mandate than the former president. So let’s respect that. That is the mandate of the people of the Philippines.)
“Please lang dapat magkaisa ang buong Pilipinas. Baka meron kayong mga concern or issues na kailangang harapin mo ‘yung batas na baka nilabag mo noon sa administrasyon mo. Tigilan mo na lang ‘yan kasi ‘yung Presidente nagtatrabaho ng maigi at nakikita ng buong mundo nagkakaisa na ang Pilipinas. Mukhang kayo lang dyan sa Davao ay gumagawa na lang ng mga istorya,” he added.
(Please, the entire Philippines should be united. Maybe you have concerns or issues that you have to deal with the law with regards to laws that you may have violated during your administration. Stop it because the President is working hard and the whole world can see that the Philippines is united. It looks like you are the only ones in Davao making up stories.)
In a prayer rally held in Davao City on Sunday evening, January 28, 2024, the former President slammed the administration’s push for the controversial people’s initiative (PI) for Charter change (cha-cha) through signature drive in exchange of money.
Duterte said Cha-cha through PI will cause chaos, warning Marcos that he might suffer the same fate as his father, late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., saying that he is always “bangag.”
He noted that Marcos, based on information given to him by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), is in the list of drug personalities.
His claims were vehemently denied by PDEA.
Asked for his reaction on Duterte’s tirades on Monday, January 29, 2024, before he left for Vietnam, Marcos said:
“I think it’s the fentanyl. Fentanyl is the strongest pain killer that you can buy. It is highly addictive and it has a very serious side effects and PRRD has been taking the drug for a very long time now. When was the last time he told us that he is taking fentanyl? Mga 5 to 6 years ago something like that. After 5 to 6 years, that has to affect the… kaya palagay ko kaya nagkakaganyan. I hope his doctors would take better care of him.”
Duterte also said on Sunday that the motive of Cha-cha is to put Romualdez in power, and this will make Marcos a “seremonial president.”
Romualdez was being tagged to be behind the “signature buying” for PI, which aims to amend the 1987 Constitution. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, for his part, urged Marcos to step down from the office “if you do not have love or have no aspirations for your country.”
The younger Duterte called Marcos as “lazy” and “lack of compassion.”
“All of these things that he is causing in oppressing the people. So there, he is putting politics first, their self-preservation of their political lives. They are not doing their jobs first,” he said.