STA. ROSA, Laguna — For the second time in a row, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not acknowledge his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, while endorsing the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas’ senatorial lineup on Saturday.
Only 11 Candidates Mentioned
During the rally, Marcos Jr. repeatedly emphasized that the alliance had 11 senatorial candidates, raising questions about Imee’s status within 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 absent from the event, just as she was the day before at a campaign rally in Trece Martires, Cavite, where her name was also left out.
Tension Over Duterte’s Arrest?
Speculation continues to grow, especially since Imee is one of the administration’s senatorial candidates who were reportedly dismayed over the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
However, two other senatorial hopefuls who shared similar sentiments—Sen. Pia Cayetano and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar—were still acknowledged by the president, even though Villar was not present at the event.
Imee Marcos Responds
When asked about the apparent snub, Imee remained unfazed, 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 stressed that her priority is looking into Duterte’s extradition, which she claims was a decision made by the government to hand over a Filipino citizen to a foreign institution.
No Official Removal from the Ticket
The Alyansa senatorial lineup 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 repeated exclusion of Imee from his speeches, Alyansa campaign manager Toby Tiangco clarified that there are no plans to remove any candidate from the slate.
Meanwhile, Villar, who missed the last two rallies due to illness, was seen actively campaigning in Caloocan City on Saturday.
