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GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Tito Sotto attests to Marcos' objection to VP Sara impeachment
Senator-elect Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III on Wednesday attested to the previous statement of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong Marcos Jr. emphasizing his objection to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. 'I will attest to the fact that in number of times that in those moments that we are able to talk with the President… Bongbong Marcos during the course of the campaign, he was really inclined not to support the impeachment,' Sotto shared during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum. Sotto ran his 2025 campaign under the Marcos administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate. 'I believe, yung sinabi niya nung una baka raw makagulo sa takbo ng ekonomiya, ng gobyerno. He is reiterating it now. I agree because narinig ko sa kanya yun. I can attest the fact that he really means that he is not in favor of the impeachment process at this point,' the senator-elect added. ('I believe, what he said at first is that how the economy, the government being run might suffer. He is reiterating it now. I agree because I heard it from him. I can attest the fact that he really means that he is not in favor of the impeachment process at this point.) In a recent interview, Marcos said he does not think the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte, his running mate in the 2022 presidential elections, will result in political turmoil, but reiterated he didn't want the impeachment in the House of Representatives. Asked if the views of the President should be followed by his allies in the Senate, Sotto emphasized the upper chamber's independence. 'Yes, in the political world, but as far as the Senate world is concerned, the Senate has never been fully controlled by any President,' Sotto said. The returning senator cited his experience from his previous terms, particularly on the President's preference for the Senate presidency. 'Hindi lahat ng pagkakataon ang Presidente ay nakikialam sa Senado at pwedeng makialam... Merong may mga nag-attempt na makialam pero hindi rin nasusunod eh,' he said. (It's not all the time that the President interferes with the Senate and is not allowed to… There were previous attempts but they did not succeed.) Among the instances that he recalled was the time of former president Fidel Ramos when he asked the upper chamber to elect someone from his party, Lakas-CMD, as Senate president. 'He was a Lakas party stalwart, but we elected an LDP president, Senator Neptali Gonzales. We do not follow the wishes of President Fidel V. Ramos who (had) only three members of Lakas in the Senate during that time,' he said. The same happened during the time of late former president Benigno Aquino III, when the latter wished for a Senate president from the Liberal Party, but the senators elected former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile instead. During the time of former president Joseph Estrada, Sotto said they 'acceded' to the latter's wish to elect his preferred Senate president. Former presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Rodrigo Duterte did not interfere with the election of the Senate presidents during their terms, Sotto said. ''Di ko na-experience na ang presidente ay nakikialam sa Senado,' he said. (I did not experience a President interfering with the Senate.) Meanwhile, Sotto said that there are no so-called independent blocs in the Senate. 'In the 20th Congress, I know there'll be a majority and a minority. I don't foresee what I heard from another colleague who said merong independent bloc. There's no such thing. Why? You're either with the majority or not. So, therefore, if you're not in the majority, you're in the minority,' he said. 'If you vote to elect a Senate president, you are in the majority. Ganoon kasimple lang naman 'yun. Walang ibang interpretasyon doon. Personal na interpretasyon nila siguro… you are either in the majority or the minority,' he explained. (It's that simple. There is no other interpretation there. Perhaps it's their interpretation.) Recently, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros mentioned forming an independent bloc with senators-elect Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan and Bam Aquino should they not get the minority bloc due to the group of senators allied with former president Duterte who branded themselves as the opposition to the Marcos administration. Senate presidency In the same forum, Sotto expressed doubt that incumbent Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, his supposed partymate in the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), will toe the party line as the race for the Senate presidency for the 20th Congress heats up. According to Sotto, Escudero filed a leave from NPC. He did not mention when Escudero left the party. Asked if they expect the NPC to have the highest number of seats in the 20th Congress, Sotto said, 'Kung susunod [si Chiz Escudero]. Alam mo naman, sabi ko nga sa'yo, hindi na natin alam yung alliances (Like what I said, we don't know of these alliances) ngayon ng party sa Senado because we don't know how the relationship of my former colleagues or my colleagues there are situated.' Several senators of the 20th Congress have confirmed that Sotto and Escudero were discussing with them their bid for the Senate's top post, namely Senators Bong Go, Erwin Tulfo, and Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa. Apart from Sotto and Escudero, Senator Imee Marcos recently said that some of their colleagues offered their support if she will run for the Senate presidency. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Imee Marcos thanks Dutertes, skips President Marcos in proclamation speech
Senator-elect Imee Marcos expressed her gratitude to the Duterte family during her proclamation speech. Notably, she did not mention her brother, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. In her speech, Senator Marcos thanked former President Rodrigo Duterte, who endorsed her candidacy as early as October, and Vice President Sara Duterte, who campaigned for her until the final stretch. 'Kay President Duterte, ang ating dating Pangulo na Oktubre pa lamang, itinaas na ang aking kamay at sa kanyang anak na hanggang sa huling sandali, si VP Inday Sara ay ako'y kinakampanya,' she said. She also acknowledged the support of her 96-year-old mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and her children. 'Sa inyong lahat ang tagumpay na ito kahit gaano kailap at kahirap ay isang katibayan na kapag ikaw ay nanindigan para sa tama, mananalo ka. Hindi nagmaliw ang paniniwala ko sa dunong ng sambayanang Pilipino. Nadama at alam nila ang ibig sabihin ng sakripisyo at prinsipyo at gagawaran nila ito ng suporta at pagmamahal,' Senator Marcos added. Senator Marcos ranked 12th with 13,339,227 votes in the recent 2025 senatorial elections. Months before the election, she withdrew from Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, the political party endorsed by President Marcos, due to differences over the arrest of former President Duterte by the International Criminal Court.
GMA Network
17-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Imee mentions Sara, FPRRD, but not Bongbong in proclamation speech
Reelected Senator Imee Marcos did not mention her younger brother President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in her speech during the proclamation of the winners of the 2025 senatorial elections. Imee, who landed on the 12th place in the Senate race, expressed her gratitude to her 96-year-old mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and her children, who were physically present during the event. Apart from her family, Imee acknowledged former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. "Kay Presidente Duterte, ang ating dating Pangulo na Oktubre pa lamang itinaas na ang aking kamay, at sa kanyang anak na hanggang sa huling sandali si VP Inday Sara ay ako'y kinakampanya," Imee said. (To President Duterte, our former president who raised my hand as early as October last year, and his daughter VP Inday Sara, who up to the final moments continued to campaign for me.) "Ang tagumpay na ito, kahit gaano kailap at kahirap ay isang katibayan na kapag ikaw ay nanindigan para sa tama, mananalo ka," she added. (This victory, although seemingly elusive and difficult to achieve, is proof that if you stand up for the right things, you will win.) In an interview after her proclamation, Imee was asked why she did not mention her younger brother in her speech. "Ay nalimutan ko na. Wala akong kodigo eh (I forgot already. I didn't have notes with me)," Imee responded. To recall, President Marcos dropped Imee from the senatorial slate of the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. This was in the middle of the Eleksyon 2025 campaign, after the senator launched an investigation into the arrest of former President Duterte. Imee was later endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte. Senate President Imee? Meanwhile, Imee denied a report that she is vying for the Senate presidency. "Wala akong naiisip. Gusto ko lang maproklama (I'm not thinking about that. I just want to be proclaimed)," she said. With regard to the impeachment trial of the Vice President, Imee said her eventual decision will depend on the pieces of evidence that will be presented. "As senator, I will sit as a judge and will rely on the evidence presented," Imee said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
The Star
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Marcos' grip on power shaken as Duterte allies, opposition surge in Philippines midterm polls
MANILA: Voters dealt President Ferdinand Marcos Jr a stinging blow in the Philippines' midterm elections that weakened his grip on the Senate, while boosting Vice-President Sara Duterte's allies just weeks before an impeachment trial against his deputy. Early results also showed independent opposition candidates performing stronger than expected in the May 12 polls. Some 68.43 million voters went to the polls to elect more than 18,000 officials nationwide to fill half of the 24-seat Senate, all 316 seats in the House of Representatives, and thousands of local posts – from mayors to governors and their deputies in every province, city and town. Unofficial results as at 5:02 am on May 13, covering 80.26 per cent of the votes, showed Marcos' Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (Alliance for a New Philippines) slate winning only six of the 12 contested Senate seats – well below the nine predicted in pre-election surveys. Duterte's slate picked up five seats. Bong Go, a longtime aide to her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, has clinched 21.72 million votes so far – the most number of votes among the candidates vying for one of 12 contested Senate seats. One Senate seat was claimed by a candidate endorsed by both factions: Camille Villar, daughter of Filipino billionaire Manny Villar, who remained on Marcos' slate but aired campaign ads with Duterte in the final stretch of the campaign. As the votes were tallied, Villar was counted under both Marcos' and Sara Duterte's victories. But the strongest rebuke to the political status quo came from outside the Marcos-Duterte camps. Opposition candidates critical of both factions made an unexpected breakthrough. Former senator Bam Aquino is placing second with 16.8 million votes in the Senate race, while former vice-presidential contender and senator Kiko Pangilinan is fifth with 12.3 million – both outperforming their pre-election survey rankings. 'This is a protest vote against the Marcos administration. It's very apocalyptic for Alyansa,' Dr Aries Arugay, visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS -Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told The Straits Times. He said that the results exposed the limits of Marcos' political capital. 'His endorsement is not powerful even if he is the incumbent President. In fact, his endorsement is only co-equal to Sara Duterte's. They cancel each other out,' Dr Arugay said. That Aquino emerged as the Senate candidate with the second-highest number of votes reflects his appeal beyond the warring camps. 'Bam Aquino is the consensus candidate,' Dr Arugay said. 'He's neither from the Marcos nor Duterte camps, he's a returning senator, and he hails from the Aquino political clan, where two of our former presidents belong.' The results came amid heightened political tensions following the March 11 arrest of Duterte, a polarising political figure, by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over thousands of killings linked to his anti-drug campaign. That arrest reignited public attention over his brutal drug war and inflamed the feud between the Marcos and Duterte camps, which intensified in 2024 when Ms Duterte resigned from the Cabinet and began openly criticising the administration. She has since styled herself as a political outsider, casting her impeachment as persecution. That message appears to have resonated among voters. Members of the Duterte family, including the former president swept the local races in Davao City, their political stronghold in the southern Philippines. Rodrigo Duterte returned to power as Davao City mayor, a post he held for over two decades before becoming president in 2016. How he will govern while in the ICC's custody remains unclear. The victories of the Duterte camp and opposition candidates further complicate Marcos' plan to remove the vice-president through impeachment. His allies in the House impeached Sara Duterte in February, accusing her of misusing public funds and threatening to assassinate Marcos, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez – the President's cousin and presumed successor. The Senate will soon convene as an impeachment court to hear the case. Convicting an impeached official requires the votes of 16 out of 24 senators. Only nine votes are needed to acquit or dismiss the charges. 'The Dutertes' objective isn't to secure a majority in the Senate,' Dr Arugay said. 'They just need to play the victim card to ensure the political survival of Sara Duterte and, in turn, make her a viable presidential contender in 2028.' But Sara Duterte's growing popularity, combined with the political instincts of dynastic senators, makes conviction far from guaranteed, said Michael Yusingco, senior research fellow at the Ateneo Policy Centre. 'Senators do not act like judges. All of them are dynastic politicians. They can look at evidence against Sara Duterte and say this is not enough to prove her guilt,' Yusingco said. 'Because in reality, an acquittal benefits their dynastic agenda – they may need her down the line.' A March survey by local pollster Pulse Asia showed Duterte's approval rating rising seven points to 59 per cent despite her impeachment, while Marcos' approval plunged 17 points to 25 per cent amid surging food prices and worsening economic discontent. With his allies securing only half of the 12 contested Senate seats, Marcos may now be forced to tread carefully, said Dr Arugay. 'Marcos may be looking at his own political survival when his term ends. The Senate elections won't totally determine that, but they'll shape the post-2028 landscape,' he said, noting that Philippine presidents often become targets of their successors – particularly when alliances collapse. For now, the 2022 Marcos-Duterte alliance lies in ruins. With the 2028 presidential race to come, what lies ahead is a long, bruising battle between two dynasties – one fighting for control, the other for survival. - The Straits Times/ANN
Filipino Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Alyansa bets cast votes as 2025 midterm polls get underway
Candidates from the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition cast their votes across the country on Monday, May 12, as the 2025 midterm elections officially began. Re-electionist Senator Lito Lapid was the earliest among the Alyansa slate to vote, taking advantage of early voting for seniors, which began at 5 a.m. ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, the coalition's top Senate contender based on pre-election surveys, cast his vote at Kamuning Elementary School in Quezon City when general voting opened at 7 a.m. Senate hopeful and former presidential candidate Ping Lacson returned to his hometown in Imus, Cavite to vote. His former running mate, former Senate President Tito Sotto—also eyeing a Senate comeback—voted in Quezon City, accompanied by wife Helen Gamboa and son, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, who is seeking re-election. Former Senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao also traveled to Sarangani to cast his vote. Incumbent senators Bong Revilla and Francis Tolentino, who are both running for re-election, are scheduled to vote later in the day, along with outgoing Makati Mayor Abby Binay, re-electionist Senator Pia Cayetano, and outgoing Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar. A final pre-election survey by OCTA Research, conducted from April 20 to 24, showed that 10 out of 11 Alyansa senatorial bets are projected to secure seats. Tulfo led the coalition with a 52.7% voter preference, placing him in the 1st to 2nd rank. Tolentino was the only candidate outside the top 12, with 25.2% support, placing him between 13th and 22nd. More than 68.6 million Filipinos are registered to vote in this year's elections. According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), polling precincts opened at 5 a.m. for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women, while general voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 7 p.m.
