STA. ROSA, Laguna — For the second time, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not mention his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, while endorsing the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas’ senatorial slate on Saturday.
Marcos Jr. Pushes 11 Candidates, Omits Imee
During his speech, Marcos Jr. repeatedly referred to the administration’s Senate lineup as having only 11 candidates, fueling speculation that Imee may no longer be considered part of the coalition.
“Let us unite for our alliance. Let us not turn the Alyansa into a coalition of ten, 11 persons, 11 candidates running for senator with the Alyansa,” he told supporters.
Notably, Imee was not present at the event, just as she was absent from the previous day’s campaign rally in Trece Martires, Cavite, where her name was also left out.
Ties to Duterte’s Arrest?
The senator is among three administration candidates rumored to be unhappy about the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
However, unlike Imee, Sen. Pia Cayetano and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar—who also reportedly had concerns over Duterte’s detention—were still acknowledged by Marcos Jr. at the rally, even though Villar was absent.
Imee Brushes Off Exclusion
Asked for a reaction to being left out of her brother’s speech, Imee downplayed the issue, saying:
“It’s okay, after all, I already said that I would focus on investigating the illegal events that took place when former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was taken.”
She also emphasized that her priority remains looking into the extradition of Duterte, questioning the government’s decision to surrender a Filipino citizen to an international body.
No Official Word on Imee’s Status
The administration’s official Senate slate includes:
- Imee Marcos
- Camille Villar
- Pia Cayetano
- Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos
- Makati City Mayor Abby Binay
- Sens. Ramon Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, and Francis Tolentino
- Former Sens. Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, and Vicente Sotto III
- ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo
Despite Marcos Jr.’s continued omission of Imee, Alyansa campaign manager Toby Tiangco clarified that there are no plans to remove anyone from the ticket.
Meanwhile, Villar, who cited illness for missing the last two rallies, was seen actively campaigning in Caloocan City over the weekend.
