It appears that Senator Imee Marcos’s apparent ‘doble kara tactic’ is no longer effective with the Dutertes and their staunch allies and supporters.
The senator and presidential ‘big sister’ seem to have her cover blown, as Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has labeled her a ‘drama-exploiter’ and “noisy” in a Facebook post, criticizing her for what he perceived as exploiting his earlier apology for a media circus.
The young Duterte took to Facebook to clarify his stance, asserting that his apology to Senator Marcos was solely an expression of pity.
In a post on February 3, he stated, “Madame Imee, linawin ko lang kasi ginagamit mo na sa drama mo diyan sa media. Humingi ako ng tawad dahil naawa ako sayo, hindi dahil sa mga sinabi ko tungkol sa kapatid mo na presidente.”
(Madame Imee, let me clarify because you’re already using it in your drama there in the media. I asked for forgiveness because I felt sorry for you, not because of what I said about your sibling, the president.)
This rebuttal was in response to Senator Marcos’ account of an apology during an ambush interview on January 30.
She earlier claimed, “Mayor Baste Duterte approached me. He apologized over and over again.”
“Naintindihan ko naman kasi siyempre sobrang emosyonal siya dahil isipin mo naman, eh ikukulong ‘yung tatay mo at ‘yung ate mo, talaga namang magre-rebolusyon ang iyong damdamin,” added Marcos.
This prompted Mayor Duterte to challenge her narrative, urging her to stop the spin.
“Undangi kog gamit ana imong mga jamming. Gipa lampas na taka kausa pero banha gihapon kayka (Stop using me for your jamming. I let it pass before but you’re still so noisy),” added Baste’s Facebook post.
The broader conflict between the Dutertes and President Marcos intensified in late January when Mayor Duterte called for the president’s resignation, questioning his love and aspirations for the nation.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte fueled the fire by accusing President Marcos of being on a narcotics list—a claim denied by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
President Marcos, in turn, alleged that the former president’s actions were influenced by the painkiller fentanyl, suggesting adverse side effects.
Davao City Mayor Duterte, over the weekend, accused Senator Imee Marcos of orchestrating “drama” surrounding his apology, clarifying that it was unrelated to his remarks against President Marcos.
The feud deepened as diehard Duterte supporters labeled Senator Marcos as “madaldal” and “ma-drama,” reflecting skepticism among those who staunchly support former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Ang daldal mo kasi. Panay pa media ka. May mga bagay na dapat sinasarili mo nalang dahil alam mo prone to misinterpretation,” posted pro-Duterte vlogger Banat By on Facebook.
Senator Marcos, addressing the ongoing chaos, confirmed having spoken with Mayor Duterte but declined to provide details.
“We already talked, and it’s okay. I won’t just tell stories, as with the chaos happening now, this would easily be misconstrued and given a different meaning,” she told the media.
In the midst of the exchange of tirades, accusations of drug addiction surfaced, with former President Rodrigo Duterte accusing President Marcos, who attributed the claims to the effects of fentanyl.
Senator Marcos distanced herself from the turmoil, denouncing accusations against her brother as “crazy,” while President Marcos refused to dignify questions regarding his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
The Daily Netizen 