Duterte laments high rice prices, refers to 'bangag' President

Former President Rodrigo Duterte lamented the high price of rice at the proclamation rally of his party PDP-Laban's senatorial candidates on Thursday.

In a speech at the Club Filipino in San Juan, Duterte again took a swipe at President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., referring to a President who's high on drugs.

"Tulad nitong bigas, which is really, tumatama sa tiyan at puso ng Pilipino. Hindi niya nakuha ‘yung pinaka, either i-subsidize o ano, whatever… It goes on up and up and mahirapan po ang Pilipino to cope up,” Duterte said.

“Mukhang hindi niya kaya na habulin ang presyo. ‘Yan na lang sa pagkain, wag na ‘yung iba… Pero ‘yung immediate, urgent need to solve is really itong presyo or the price of rice,” he added.  

(Take rice for example which is an issue for the stomach and hearts of Filipinos... It goes on up and up and Filipinos are finding it difficult to cope. It appears he couldn't bring down the price. The immediate, urgent need is really to solve the price of rice.)

Duterte and his children Vice President Sara Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte formally endorsed nine senatorial candidates for the 2025 midterm elections under the banner of PDP Laban.

The Duterte patriarch, who sits as chairman of PDP Laban, personally attended the party’s proclamation rally at Club Filipino and raised the hands of his bets in the opening salvo of their campaign.

The nine candidates are Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Senator Bong Go, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, former executive secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez , Atty. Jesus Hinlo Jr., Atty. Raul Lambino, Atty. Jimmy Bondoc, and actor Philip Salvador.

Included in PDP Laban’s official senatorial slate is Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, but he was not able to attend the event because he is currently detained in Pasig City Jail. He was represented by his legal counsel Atty. Israelito Torreon.

In his speech, Rodrigo Duterte expressed his belief that the nine candidates would win the upcoming elections, adding he could sense that the Filipinos were already getting frustrated with “failed promises.”

GMA News Online has sought a comment from the Palace and will publish it as soon as it is available.

Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture declared a food security emergency on rice based on the recommendations from the National Price Coordinating Council. 

Marcos said the declaration was meant "to force the price down" after the government had done everything to do so.

Drugs

In his speech, Duterte again claimed that Marcos Jr. was using drugs. 

"Alam mo kung ako ang durugista, at bakit, sa utak ko, bakit hindi? Total kasama ko naman si Presidente sa hithitan. Maski ‘yung pulis at military medyo, because of the incongruity, hindi magkasya eh. Mayroon isang Presidente na talagang bangag,” Duterte said.

“Hindi naman buang, pero ‘yung bisyo ng droga, long term ‘yan. Maging ulol si Marcos, maybe constant use of heroin. Abot pa siguro siya ng 80 pero pagdating sa panahon na ‘yan, hindi na siya gumagalaw. Nakatindig lang ‘yan sa kwarto niya,” he added. 

(If I were an addict, I'd think why not? I'm with the President in using drugs. Even the police and military, because of the incongruity, don't know what to do. There is a President who is high on drugs. He's not crazed but the effect of drugs is long-term. Marcos will be crazed, maybe with constant use of heroin.  He will reach 80 but when that time comes, he won't be able to move. He'd just be standing inside his room.)

GMA News Online has also sought comment from the Palace regarding this issue.

In January 2024, Duterte called Marcos "bangag,” only to take it back the following month, saying he never accused Marcos of being into illegal drugs. 

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was quick to say that Marcos was never on its drug watch list, contrary to Duterte's statement.

"The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 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 in January last year.

Asked to react, Marcos said, “I think it’s the fentanyl.”

"It is highly addictive and it has very serious side effects. And PRRD [President Rodrigo D. Duterte] has been taking the drug for a very long time now. When was the last time he told us that he was taking fentanyl? Mga (Around) five, six years ago? Something like that. After five, six years it has to affect him," Marcos told reporters last year.

Marcos said his predecessor's physicians should take care of him.

The former President’s son, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, filed a bill last year requiring mandatory random drug testing every six months of elected and appointed officials, with the president not exempted from those who may be selected.

Vice President Sara Duterte backed this proposal, saying the drug test will help ensure that government officials are in their right minds. –NB/LDF, GMA Integrated News

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