PDEA says Marcos never included on gov't drug watch list

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday debunked President Rodrigo Duterte's claim that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was included on its drug watch list.

"The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency categorically states that President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr is not on its watch list, contrary to the statement of former President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming that 'when he was the Mayor of Davao, he was shown evidence by PDEA that in the list, the name of the president was there,” the agency said in a statement on Monday morning. 

PDEA added that Marcos was never in the agency’s National Drug Information System (NDIS) since PDEA’s “activation” in 2002. 

“From its inception in 2002 and up to the present, President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr was never in our NDIS,” it said.

NDIS is the intelligence database of PDEA of drug personalities sourced from law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

PDEA also stated that Marcos' name did not appear on the “narco list” released by the Duterte administration during the former president's term.

“Based on all the foregoing facts, the PDEA asserts that President Marcos, Jr is not and was never on its watch list,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, Duterte made the remarks against Marcos during an “anti-Charter change” prayer rally in Davao City that coincided with the “Bagong Pilipinas Kickoff Rally” at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Both of the rallies were attended by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. 

During which, the Duterte patriarch also accused Marcos of using illegal drugs.

“Bongbong, bangag yan…may drug addict tayo ng presidente,” Duterte said in the Davao rally. 

(Bongbong is high…we have a president who is a drug addict)

On Monday, Marcos laughed off this comment when asked if he categorically denies the "drug addict" claim.

“I won’t dignify the question,” Marcos said in an ambush interview with reporters before he departs for a two-day trip to Vietnam. 

Marcos also claimed that the Duterte patriarch made those pronouncements last Sunday because of his fentanyl use.

“I think it is the Fentanyl. Fentanyl is the strongest pain killer that you can buy," Marcos said. 

In 2016, the former