Bongbong camp on Duterte's cocaine-using presidentiable claim: We don't feel alluded to

The camp of former senator and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday brushed off the claims of President Rodrigo Duterte that a presidential candidate is a cocaine-user.

“We don’t feel alluded to,” Marcos’ spokesperson, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, said in a radio interview, adding that Marcos has the “highest respect” for Duterte.

“We only have the highest respect, paggalang at pagkilala sa presidente [to the president],” Rodriguez said.

In a speech on Thursday evening, Duterte claimed that one of the presidential aspirants in next year's elections is a cocaine user.

Duterte did not mention any names, but described the said aspirant as a "weak leader" who has done nothing and who appeared to be just banking on his father's name.

“He is a very weak leader ang character niyan… except for the name. Ang tatay. Pero siya? Anong ginawa niya? He might win hands down, okay. If that's what the Filipino wants, go ahead. Basta alam ninyo," Duterte said.

Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., is running in tandem with Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Among Marcos' contenders is Senator Bong Go, a trusted ally of President Duterte.

In the same Thursday night speech, Duterte endorsed Go for president.

Asked to react on this, Rodriguez, in the same radio interview, said Duterte was only following the process in his political party.

“May sarili silang party. Nananatili po ang mataas na paggalang respeto, pagkilala, at pagtingin ni Bongbong Marcos kay PRRD,” Rodriguez said.

(They have their own party. Bongbong Marcos still has high respect to PRRD.) --KBK, GMA News