28-6-2024 (MANILA) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has responded to the potential Senate run for three members of the Duterte family with a nonchalant stance, stating, “It’s a free country.” This remark comes in the wake of Vice President Sara Duterte’s announcement that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and her brothers, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, would all run for Senate seats in the 2025 elections.
“They’re allowed to do whatever they want. I really have no reaction to it. Besides, it’s still early,” Marcos said, acknowledging the freedom of the Duterte family members to pursue their political aspirations. However, he cautioned that political plans and alliances would only “become clear” when candidacies are filed in October.
“So all of these announcements, let’s see if they push through when October comes,” the President added, indicating that declarations made now may not necessarily materialize during the official filing period.
Marcos further clarified that the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte from his Cabinet does not change the dynamics of the Uniteam alliance, as the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party, to which the Dutertes belong, was never part of the Uniteam coalition.
It will depend on what position Inday Sara takes during the election, whether she will be with the administration or the opposition. That will be the only major determinant. But as for the parties involved, the Uniteam remains the same, it hasn’t changed,” he explained.
Meanwhile, a Catholic bishop and critic of former President Duterte’s war on drugs, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, cautioned voters against being easily swayed by the Duterte family’s remarks. “Let’s not pay attention to those kinds of announcements, because they might just be baiting us. That’s always how the Dutertes are. They make an announcement, then retract it, make another announcement, and retract it again. So, they might just be baiting us,” Pabillo warned.
Even those eyeing a Senate seat next year are taking a wait-and-see approach to the Duterte family’s plans. Former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, a Liberal Party official, said, “Let’s just wait for the filing because, just like on many occasions in the past, their words keep changing regarding their election plans.”
Former Senate President and Nationalist Peoples Coalition Chairman Vicente Sotto III rejected the proposal for an anti-Duterte unity ticket for the 2025 elections. “We should not bother our thinking for the country with focusing on just a certain group or family,” Sotto said.
When asked if it would affect NPC’s decision to ally with the administration Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Sotto answered in the negative but stressed they would not form a ticket targeting specific personalities. “No, I don’t think so. We will never be an anti-whoever ticket. We will form a ticket that will be good for the country,” Sotto added.
