The Philippine political landscape was plunged into turmoil following an unprecedented and deeply emotional public address by Senator Imee Marcos, the sister of sitting President Bongbong Marcos. Speaking before a vast assembly at the Iglesia ni Kristo (INC) rally, the Senator delivered a devastating, tearful testimony that moved beyond typical political criticism, directly addressing her brother’s personal health and alleging that a long-standing substance dependency is now compromising the highest executive office.

Her speech was a raw and unfiltered intervention, an agonizing choice made, she claimed, out of a profound sense of duty, conscience, and a desperate fear for her sibling’s life. Stripped of political formality, the address was less a senatorial statement and more a public appeal to her “Ading” (younger brother) to step down, rest, and seek recovery before his health crisis inflicts irreparable harm on both himself and the Republic.

The Burden of an Unspoken Family History

Senator Marcos began her speech by acknowledging the immense difficulty of standing before the nation to speak about her own family’s private sorrows. With her voice trembling from emotion, she apologized not for fear, but for the “heaviness of my soul.” She clarified that her true apology was not for her presence, but for a family secret she now felt compelled to reveal.

The Senator asserted that her brother’s difficulties were not new. She alleged that the family had known about his “problema”—a long-standing, debilitating habit—since their childhood. She claimed that these challenges had been documented in the personal testimonies of their late father and that, in their younger years, her father had handled the responsibility. As they grew older and the issue persisted, it became her own heavy burden.

In her detailed, unverified claims, Imee Marcos recounted years of attempts to intervene in her brother’s life. She recalled convincing him to marry, hoping that marital stability would give him direction and lead him towards a better path. Tragically, she admitted that this hope proved false, alleging that his substance dependency worsened after his marriage, claiming a shared pattern of behavior with his wife.

The Senator spoke candidly of her confrontations with him and his associates during his time as Ilocos Norte Governor, where she alleged he would often be absent from work. Though he would promise to change, she later claimed to have received reports that his habit included the use of certain restricted substances, alleging that his days were sometimes spent using these substances with his spouse and close companions.

The Struggle for Intervention and the 2016 Crisis

Senator Marcos revealed the extent of her desperation to protect her brother’s future and reputation. She recounted a critical incident in 2016, during the beginning of the previous administration’s campaign against illegal substances. When President Bongbong Marcos’s name allegedly surfaced on a list alongside various public figures, Imee Marcos made a dramatic, almost pleading appeal to then-President Duterte.

She tearfully implored the elder President to prioritize targeting the suppliers of these substances, allowing time for individuals battling substance dependency to recover. Her fervent appeal was successful, and her brother’s name was reportedly removed from the public list. This intense personal intervention stemmed from a profound fear and anxiety for her brother’s safety and future.

Following this high-stakes rescue, she claimed she received reports that her brother was making progress, undergoing regular medical attention for existing conditions, and she allowed herself to believe that he had finally conquered his severe personal health challenges. She held onto hope, despite sporadic, alarming reports that his substance use continued in social settings, including alleged microdosing of restricted substances to evade detection during medical examinations.

Exclusion, Manipulation, and the National Crisis

The situation reached a critical breaking point during the 2022 elections. Senator Marcos recounted her role in forging the unity ticket, specifically introducing President Marcos to Vice President Sara Duterte. Yet, immediately after the partnership was established, she claimed she found herself suddenly and inexplicably marginalized—shut out of campaign headquarters and isolated from crucial updates.

This exclusion led her to believe that those around her brother—whom she described as opportunistic individuals “acting as president”—were deliberately removing her to conceal his worsening health condition. She alleged that she was nearly ready to support the disqualification case against him upon hearing of his continued habit, but his inner circle manipulated the situation, suggesting she only wanted his position.

The Senator then connected her brother’s alleged private struggles directly to the nation’s governance. She asserted that in the three years since his victory, she has distanced herself from the Presidential Palace, claiming it has become an environment of open drinking and substance use. She pointed to her brother’s allegedly altered state—claiming his appearance, speech, and thought process have become unrecognizable—as clear evidence of his incapacitation.

This alleged incapacity, she argued, is the root cause of the current “flood of corruption,” “lack of direction,” and a succession of “disastrous decisions” that have plagued the administration. She claimed his condition has created a vacuum of leadership, allowing his subordinates to loot the nation’s coffers and wield power unchecked.

The Political Maneuver and the Vice President’s Position

Senator Marcos then made profound allegations of political targeting. She claimed that her brother is being “used” as a tool by his associates to undermine the administration’s coalition partner, Vice President Sara Duterte. She suggested that his inner circle is deliberately compromising the President to set themselves up as “saviors” from the political turmoil they are creating around the Vice President’s initiatives and reputation.

She further claimed that the political crisis had escalated to include unverified, high-stakes political targeting, including what she described as maneuvers against the former Chief Executive, citing the shocking rumors of attempts to seize and exile him to a foreign country. This political landscape, she argued, is one of widespread betrayal, targeting non-allies, and a complete disregard for accountability.

But the most disturbing revelation involved an internal family dynamic. Imee Marcos made extremely serious, unverified accusations against her brother’s immediate family, specifically alleging that the First Lady and the President’s son had attempted to involve her own children and other relatives in the debilitating habit. She declared this an unforgivable act, a moral violation that forced her to break her silence finally to protect her own family.

The Final, Heart-Wrenching Plea for Recovery

The culmination of the speech was a direct, raw plea to her brother, whom she addressed as “Bongit.” She expressed her constant anxiety whenever she sees him on television, noting his drastic change in appearance and demeanor.

“Bongbong, we have not spoken for three years,” she stated, lamenting the severed connection. She took full responsibility for her past weaknesses, admitting she had not been a good sister, failing to enforce necessary boundaries because she was always overcome by his promises to change.

Citing a passage from the Bible (Luke 17:3), she emphasized the principle of fraternal forgiveness and love. Then, in a moment of utter finality, she issued her ultimate call: “Enough, my little brother. End your suffering and the nation’s… Let’s go home. Get treatment, get well, and I promise, I will not leave your side.”

She stressed that the individuals surrounding him now were not there during the family’s darkest times, but she and his true siblings, standing at the rally, would remain with him when everything falls apart. Her final, most powerful declaration underscored her true priority: “I can accept you losing the position, but I cannot bear to lose you.” She implored him to prioritize his health, cleanse his system of the debilitating habit, and understand that his illness has become a national crisis.

Senator Imee Marcos’s speech is more than a mere political salvo; it is a tragic family drama played out on the global stage, raising profound questions about the stability of the Philippine government, the moral authority of its leaders, and the ultimate price of political ambition over personal well-being. The nation now watches and waits for the President’s response to this unprecedented public intervention, knowing that the outcome will define not jus