SENATOR IMEE MARCOS’ dramatic tirades at the Quirino Grandstand were exceptionally loud, emotional, and confrontational. But none of those fall within — not even close to be considered as fact.
Her statements about President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. may have stirred the crowd, yet they offered zero evidence. What she delivered was spectacle, not substance.
“When someone makes accusations this serious without a shred of proof, it is not bravery. It is recklessness,” Chairman Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia said.
“The Filipino people deserve truth, not emotional outbursts pretending to be national warnings,” added Goitia in his capacity as Chairman Emeritus of Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement.
UNSUPPORTED, UNACCEPTABLE
For Dr. Goitia, Senator Imee’s allegations speak well of her brand of politics, even as he claimed that unsupported jabs are simply unacceptable.
Accusing a sitting president of drug use is considered one of the gravest allegations a public official can make. It demands ironclad evidence.
“Imee provided nothing. No records. No verification. No documentation. Just a microphone, a crowd, and a narrative crafted for maximum shock value,” an obviously pissed off Giotia averred.
Goitia challenged her directly — “If evidence exists, show it. If none exists, stop dragging the entire nation into a personal meltdown,” he said. “We cannot allow unverified claims to destabilize the republic.”
DRUG TEST, A DONE DEAL
Drug use (or substance abuse) allegations first surfaced even before Marcos Jr. ran for the highest elective position in the country.
To ensure a “clean slate,” then presidential aspirant voluntarily submitted himself in 2021 to a drug test at St. Luke’s Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Moments later, the result came out — negative for cocaine use. Hospital officials even testified before the Senate to confirm its validity.
“This is not a loophole. This is a documented test. If the accusers truly believed their own claims, then this decisive step destroys their narrative completely,” Dr. Goitia stressed.
DRAGGING THE FIRST LADY
The attempt to implicate First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos reveals the desperation behind the persistent narrative primarily designed to smear the reputation of the Marcos administration.
According to Dr. Goitia, Liza Araneta-Marcos boasts of a consistent record of professionalism and restraint.
“She has never been associated with the kind of behavior Imee insinuated. To smear her without evidence is not only dishonest, it exposes the pettiness of the attack,” he noted.
“Dragging the First Lady into this without basis is a cheap shot. It is gossip dressed up as concern,” he said. “It insults the intelligence of the Filipino people.”
REALITY VS. ALLEGATION
Anyone watching the President closely can see the truth. His schedule is full. His decisions are steady. His leadership is consistent. You cannot claim impairment when the evidence shows discipline, clarity, and active governance.
Goitia pointed this out with precision — “Leadership is measured by action. The President continues to work, continues to lead, and continues to deliver,” he said.
“Rumor cannot erase results,” Gotia enthused, in reference to the way Marcos handled criticisms, responded to urgent concerns, and defended the country against foreign aggressors.
The President, he added, also has the qualities of a good leader — one who doesn’t curse God, humiliate people, hurl invectives to impress an audience.
SHUN FAMILY DRAMA
Imee’s public outburst is not a service to the nation. It is a spectacle rooted in resentment, not responsibility. Filipinos cannot afford to have national discourse dictated by a sibling’s emotional explosion. Family drama, no matter how explosive, is not a substitute for credible information.
Goitia’s message cuts through the fog — “Loose talk weakens the country. If officials want to be taken seriously, they must speak with evidence. Not emotion. Not theatrics. Evidence,” he said.
The country has real battles to fight. Economic recovery, security, and national stability all require focus and unity. What they do not require is a politician firing accusations that evaporate under scrutiny.
Until genuine evidence is presented, Imee’s claims remain nothing more than noise. And the nation should not be governed by noise.
Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia serves as Chairman Emeritus of four respected civic-oriented organizations: Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, through which he continues to advance the causes of sovereignty, reform, and the dignity of the Filipino people.
