House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos on Tuesday sprang to the defense of his father, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., following drug allegations made by Senator Imee Marcos. He called her claims “a web of lies aimed at destabilizing this government.”

Sandro accused his aunt of targeting the President and the First Family for her own political gain, calling her statements “baseless” and “untrue.”

“To repeat accusations against President Bongbong Marcos, the First Lady, and even myself, that are not only false but dangerously irresponsible — that crosses a line,” he said.

The controversy erupted during the Iglesia ni Cristo’s Anti-Corruption Peace Rally on Monday, where Senator Marcos alleged that her brother, the President, First Lady Liza Marcos, and their son, Representative Sandro Marcos, had long struggled with drug abuse. She claimed the President’s drug use began in his youth and worsened after his marriage. She also accused Sandro of offering her own children drugs.

Sandro promptly fired back, saying that her sons, his cousins — Borgy, Ilocos Vice Governor Matthew, and lawyer Michael Manotoc — can attest that her allegations are “purely false.” He added that her behavior constituted a “betrayal,” something “a real sibling would never do.”

His last jab was a reference to long-held suspicions that Imee was not the daughter of the Marcos patriarch, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

“Now is the time to unite behind truth, not amplify narratives meant to topple the government,” Sandro said. “This is the time for unity, not chaos.”

Malacañang officials quickly dismissed Imee’s claims as a “desperate move,” framing them against the backdrop of the ongoing multibillion-peso flood control scandal.

Meanwhile, First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte said the public deserves some clarity.

“If what Senator Imee is saying is true, then the Filipino people deserve clarity, not excuses,” he said in English and Filipino, noting that calls for a hair follicle drug test for government officials — including the President — have long been ignored.

“This is about transparency and integrity in the administration,” Duterte said.

“Have all government officials undergo a drug test. No one will be exempt; no special treatment. The Filipino people deserve honesty. If you’re clean, prove it. If not, don’t make fools of the people,” he said.