A social media influencer has accused former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque of orchestrating the release of a controversial video allegedly showing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. using illegal drugs, claiming it was part of a calculated effort to discredit the administration.
In a sworn affidavit submitted to a Tri-Committee (Tri-Comm) hearing on Tuesday, influencer Vicente Bencalo “Pebbles” Cunanan alleged that the now-infamous “polvoron video” was a centerpiece of a coordinated campaign to erode public trust in President Marcos.
“I believe Atty. Roque was the original source of the polvoron video and that he was the one who circulated it to the public to damage the President’s credibility,” Cunanan stated in his affidavit.
Cunanan also recalled Roque allegedly boasting during a private gathering: “Magaling ako magpabagsak ng gobyerno” (“I’m good at toppling governments”).
“Based on the context of that night’s discussion, I believe the video—allegedly showing PBBM using cocaine—was part of what Roque referred to as a plan to bring down the government,” Cunanan added.
The Tri-Comm, composed of the House Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information, resumed its investigation into the spread of fake news and misinformation on social media.
According to Cunanan, the conversation took place during a private dinner on July 7, 2024, in Hong Kong following the pro-Duterte Maisug Rally. Attendees included Roque, former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, and several influencers such as Atty. Glenn Chong, Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Dr. Lorraine Badoy, Sass Rogando Sassot, Joie de Vivre, and Tio Moreno.
Cunanan claimed Roque disclosed he had received a screenshot from a politician’s relative showing a man resembling Marcos allegedly using cocaine. Though Roque didn’t show the image that night, the group allegedly discussed ways to leak the video without exposing themselves to legal risk.
“There was talk of using a foreign influencer or vlogger to release the video, to make it appear more credible and to avoid accountability,” Cunanan said.
He also mentioned a symbolic gesture made during the dinner: a reversed “V” sign—an apparent dig at Marcos, who popularized the “V” hand sign during his presidential campaign.
Cunanan asserted that Roque eventually revealed the video during a Maisug Rally in Vancouver, Canada, on July 20—just one day before Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address (SONA). He said DDS vlogger Maharlika was present at the event and appeared to have prior knowledge of the video.
“Maharlika messaged me, encouraging me to ‘ride’ on the release of the video supposedly showing the President using cocaine,” Cunanan said, adding that the timing suggested the video’s release was strategically planned to damage Marcos ahead of the SONA.
On the day of the SONA, Cunanan claimed Maharlika sent him two versions of the video: a raw file and an enhanced version that had been edited to more clearly depict President Marcos.
“I still have copies of both versions,” Cunanan said. “To my knowledge, the photo Roque held in Hong Kong came from the raw footage, which had not yet been altered at that time.”
“In the enhanced version, the video was edited to make it appear as though it was undeniably PBBM in the footage. This reinforced my belief that Atty. Roque and several DDS personalities deliberately released the video to stir controversy and provoke backlash against the President before his SONA,” he added.
Cunanan concluded that Roque was not only the first to speak of the video but also the one who ensured its circulation to the public.