FACT CHECK: Castro spoke about Rodrigo Duterte, not Marcos, in spliced drug-use clip

Claim: Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted to using marijuana and abusing fentanyl because it felt like “cloud nine. ” Rating: ALTERED Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook post by “Wilfredo Villacastel Orencejr,” published on October 24, carries the claim. Its caption reads, “Ay naku, Ante Claire binubuking mo na yung boss mo, Ante . ” (Oh, Auntie Claire, you’re exposing your boss, auntie. ) The video shows Castro speaking in a supposed interview, with a breaking news label overlaid on top. In the clip, Castro says, “Inamin mismo ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na siya’y gumagamit ng marijuana, at inamin niya rin na ang paggamit niya ng fentanyl ay inabuso niya dahil masarap daw ang pakiramdam, cloud nine. ” (President Marcos Jr. himself admitted that he uses marijuana, and he also admitted that he abused fentanyl because it supposedly felt good, cloud nine.

) As of writing, the video has garnered over 709,000 views, 11,000 reactions, 1,300 comments, and 5,600 shares. The facts: Castro did not say Marcos used marijuana or abused fentanyl. The viral clip altered what she said during September 11 press briefing in New Delhi, where she was referring to former president Rodrigo Duterte. In the genuine clip, Castro was asked to respond to Vice President Sara Duterte’s accusation that Marcos was an “addict. ” She said: “ Inamin mismo ni dating Pangulong Duterte, pangulo na siya, na siya’y gumagamit ng marijuana. At inamin niya rin na ang paggamit niya ng fentanyl ay inabuso niya dahil masarap daw ‘yung pakiramdam, ‘cloud nine’ ang feeling . ” (Former president Duterte himself admitted, while already in office, that he used marijuana. He also admitted to abusing fentanyl because he enjoyed the feeling, describing it as being on “cloud nine. ”) The…