MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday brushed aside a petition seeking to compel President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to undergo a hair follicle drug test and release a medical bulletin, stressing that the request has no legal or factual grounding.
The petition, filed by the United People’s Initiative (UPI), urged the Supreme Court to require the disclosure of the President’s health status, invoking the public’s right to information.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, however, questioned the basis of the filing, describing it as anchored on speculation rather than evidence. She cited existing Supreme Court rulings indicating that a sitting President cannot be forced to disclose medical records without sufficient proof.
“Kung puro tsismis lang at walang basehan,” Castro said, emphasizing that claims about a President’s health must go beyond rumors and conjecture.
She added that jurisprudence on the matter is well established and unlikely to be overturned without compelling justification.
Earlier, President Marcos himself dismissed circulating claims about his health as false, even performing jumping jacks and jogging within the Malacañang compound alongside reporters to demonstrate his physical condition.
On transparency, Castro maintained that the administration remains open to the public, noting that the President regularly appears in public engagements.
She stressed that without credible evidence of serious illness, there is no legal basis to require the President to undergo medical testing.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) is preparing to file complaints before the Department of Justice against individuals allegedly responsible for spreading false information online about the President’s health. At least three individuals have been identified in connection with the case.
elamigo/xf
