MANILA—Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson criticized Sen. Imee Marcos for accusing her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., of drug use during a religious gathering in Manila.

In an interview on True FM, Lacson said disagreements among siblings should be settled privately, not aired before a massive crowd. “That was very un-Filipino. We have seen siblings quarrel but they confine it inside the home… But to bring your conflict in front of hundreds of thousands of people at the Luneta, to me that’s unacceptable as a Filipino. We Filipinos are not like that,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Lacson said he was disappointed with the senator’s decision to make such accusations during the Iglesia ni Cristo rally on Monday evening. “I am disappointed with Sen. Marcos’ action. She could have done this in another forum, but not to make accusations whether true or not in front of hundreds of thousands of people,” he added.

When asked about the possible reason behind the outburst, Lacson said it was driven by politics. “Politics, nothing else. Why discredit your own brother in front of hundreds of thousands of people?” he said.

Sen. Marcos had told the crowd that the President and members of his family were into drugs, drawing strong reactions from political figures throughout the day.