MANILA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Senator Imee Marcos on Monday accused her younger brother, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, of using illegal drugs, a charge the presidential palace rejected as baseless and politically motivated.

Speaking during the second day of an anti-corruption rally, Senator Marcos said her family had long been aware of what she described as a "serious" drug problem.

"I have long known that he is using drugs. My family and I found out, and this is serious," she told the crowd. She further claimed that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was also a drug user. "His addiction worsened because both husband and wife are using," she added.

The presidential office quickly pushed back. In a livestream on her YouTube channel, Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the senator's statements as a "desperate move".

Castro said the drug issue had already been addressed by the president even before he assumed the presidency by undergoing a drug test as early as 2021. She said the test yielded negative.

This was not the first time Senator Imee Marcos has publicly thrown her younger brother under the bus, as the siblings have long been at odds. Enditem