Malacañang Palace has dismissed growing calls for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to undergo a hair follicle drug test, following renewed attention on a controversial “polvoron video.” The video, which allegedly shows someone resembling Marcos using cocaine, has sparked a wave of public scrutiny despite being confirmed as digitally altered.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro questioned the legal and factual basis behind the demand, particularly from online communities, bloggers, and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“What is the basis for demanding a hair follicle test from the President?” Castro asked in Filipino. “If there’s an accusation, then the person making the accusation must prove it.”
She further emphasized, “To those of you demanding a test from the President, you must first prove that he is doing something wrong.”
The controversial video, which resurfaced earlier this week, was initially released during a 2024 Maisug rally in Los Angeles. While it had been debunked by both the Philippine National Police and independent fact-checkers as an AI-manipulated clip, the video gained renewed attention after vlogger Vincent “Pebbles” Cunanan testified at a House Tri-Committee hearing on fake news.
Cunanan accused Roque of orchestrating the circulation of the altered video, claiming the former Duterte spokesperson had boasted about his ability to “bring down governments” during a private dinner in Hong Kong. Roque vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing Cunanan’s testimony as a “scripted show” and his affidavit as “worthless.”
“It’s not in my power to bring down a government,” Roque stated. “The fate of President Marcos lies in the hands of the Filipino people — not in mine.”
Roque also pointed out inconsistencies in Cunanan’s account of the video’s origin, suggesting that the video could only have come from someone close to the President.
