Palace on calls for BBM to undergo drug test: The burden of proof is on the accusers

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HAIR follicle drug test? Not so fast.

Malacañang clapped back at viral accusations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying the burden of proof is on the accusers—not on the leader’s scalp.

Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said those accusing the President of drug use have yet to present any solid proof and therefore have no grounds to insist on testing.

“Kahit saan po na kaso, kung sino iyong nagbibintang, siya ang magbigay ng pruweba. Hindi ninyo puwedeng sabihin na, ‘ito gumagamit, patunayan mong hindi.’ Hindi po iyon ang tamang logic,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

She warned that baseless allegations made to damage the President’s reputation are unacceptable. Without concrete evidence, she added, critics have no right to impose conditions on the President.

Castro also addressed renewed attention on the so-called “polvoron video,” a manipulated clip that falsely depicted the President. She said the video was already investigated by law enforcement agencies, including the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation. These probes concluded that the footage was altered using face-swapping technology, a finding supported by the India-based Deepfakes Analysis Unit.

Castro pointed out that the Palace is aware of these findings and said the President had left the matter to proper authorities. The goal, she said, was to show the public the truth behind the video and the claims attached to it.

“Hindi po ito lingid sa kaalaman ng Palasyo dahil ang nais po lamang ng Pangulo ay maipakita sa taumbayan na hindi totoo ang kanilang pinapakalat na video at hindi totoo ang kanilang ibinibintang sa kaniya,” she added.

The controversy was also discussed during the April 8 House Tri-Committee hearing, where vlogger Vicente Bencalo “Pebbles” Cunanan claimed that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was involved in spreading the altered video—an allegation Roque has since denied.(MyTVCebu)