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"I think it's the fentanyl," Marcos told reporters shortly
before leaving for Vietnam in response to claims made by Duterte
on Sunday while speaking at a rally in his hometown Davao
against moves to amend the country's constitution.
When asked about the drug use accusations and the call for him
to step down, Marcos said, the former president "has been taking
the drug for a very long time now...after five, six years, it
has to affect him."
In 2016, Duterte admitted he used to take the highly addictive
synthetic opioid fentanyl for pain relief after a motorcyle
accident.
"I hope his doctors take better care of him," said Marcos.
Duterte also said Marcos was included in the drug agency's so
called 'narco-list' that was submitted to him when he was still
mayor of Davao city, a charge which the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency vehemently denied.
Duterte's accusations came after his son, who is the incumbent
mayor of Davao, called on Marcos to resign, citing his supposed
failings to address criminality and a foreign policy that
"endangers the lives of innocent Filipinos".
Former president Duterte has earned international rebuke for
unleashing a brutal campaign against illegal drugs when he
assumed power in 2016, killing more 6,000 dealers whom police
said resisted arrest during anti-drug operations.
The International Criminal Court has allowed an investigation
into the killings to resume, but Marcos said his government will
not cooperate.
(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Michael Perry)
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