Cayetano, others in minority boycott SONA

MANILA, Philippines — Citing concerns over what they described as a deteriorating democratic space and the administration’s prosecution of its critics, nearly all members of the Senate minority skipped President Marcos’ fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday.

Only minority Sen. Camille Villar attended the SONA. Her brother Mark was a no-show.

Hours before the President’s address, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. Pia Cayetano and Sen. Loren Legarda attended the opening of the Senate’s second regular session in black attire and announced that they would not proceed to the Batasang Pambansa for the speech.

In an interview, Cayetano said he wore black to symbolize his protest over what he described as “a crisis of hope” amid declining public trust in government, unresolved corruption issues and economic uncertainty.

“My preference is to just watch it on television. It may also make the administration more comfortable that way, and wearing black is my simple way of protesting,” he said.

“We are facing many crises today. There is a crisis of trust in government, not just in the administration, but in everyone. Even after a year, the reforms promised following the flood control and infrastructure scandal remain unclear,” he added.

Imee, for her part, said her decision to skip the SONA stemmed from what she described as the continued filing of cases against members of the minority.

“I’ll just listen to it. We are hurt because members of the minority are being jailed and charged. That’s something I find difficult to accept,” she said.

She also denied there was any agreement among minority senators to wear black or boycott the President’s address.

“There was no agreement. We only asked each other yesterday morning. There was no plan to wear black or to skip the SONA,” she said.

Also absent from the SONA were Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. Robin Padilla, detained Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who has remained out of public view since May following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court.

Malacañang, however, downplayed the boycott, saying the absence of the minority bloc would have no impact on the SONA.

“They are not a loss. What is important is the message of the President,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said. “People who have no interest or who do not want to listen to the President, they are not a loss. The SONA will push through.”

Protests

Outside Congress, around 12,000 protesters gathered near Batasang Pambansa, while 7,000 protesters joined the rallies near St. Peter Parish and in front of the Commission on Audit to air grievances over corruption, rising prices, wages, the economy and other national issues.

“No one is celebrating. The people here in Commonwealth are mad, disappointed with what is happening because corruption is rampant and the economy is falling,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) president Renato Reyes Jr. told The STAR. “This is a very difficult time for Filipinos. This is the worst economic crisis since the pandemic. [Yet] the Marcos response has been generally lacking, generally insignificant, not substantial by any measure,” he added.

Echoing Reyes, labor leader Luke Espiritu said: “Marcos is simply a master of the art of tokenism. All of his solutions to our problems are just cosmetic. It does not pinpoint the root cause of the problem.”

Pax Silica was also a focus of the protest led by Partido Lakas ng Masa chair Leody de Guzman and his group.

De Guzman lashed out at the government for supposedly deceiving the public about the project which, he said, would take away more than 4,000 hectares of land from farmers in Central Luzon.

“Pax Silica is a lie!” he said.

Protest actions were also held in other parts of the country. Earlier in the day, demonstrators gathered in Manila before marching to Quezon City, while church leaders in Baguio and Benguet called on government officials to reject corruption, political dynasties and disinformation while protecting both people and the environment.

Teachers under the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition, meanwhile, reiterated their call for a P15,000 across-the-board salary increase, a hybrid career progression system and increased funding for public education.

Other groups that participated were Youth for Nationalism and Democracy, KILUSAN, Lupa Pilipinas, Pangisda, PAMALAKAYA, Workers for People’s Liberation, Pambansang Kaisahan ng Makabayang Magbubukid and Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement.

51 arrested

During the demonstrations, tension escalated as at least 51 activists were arrested.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said those arrested were being investigated for alleged violations of Republic Act 9003, Batas Pambansa 880 and local ordinances.

“We have a reason to have a valid arrest and they were accosted because of violations or ordinances and special laws,” Nartatez said.

Among those nabbed were 13 minors and six members of Vandals United who were caught spray-painting a Meralco wall along Commonwealth Avenue with graffiti reading “Meralco Sindikato.” One man was also arrested for allegedly punching a police major.

Of those nabbed, 45 were detained at the Quezon City Police District headquarters while six were brought to QCPD Station 6 for multiple violations, including vandalism and wearing balaclavas.

The National Capital Region Police Office said it would investigate whether any of the 51 arrested had links to suspects involved in the Sept. 21, 2025 anti-corruption rallies, during which more than 200 people were arrested after violence erupted in Mendiola.

“If they were rallying properly, why would they need to cover their faces and vandalize walls, so we’re seeing violations committed already,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin told reporters. — Alexis Romero, EJ Macababbad, Emmanuel Tupas, Josiah Antonio, Andrew Ronquillo, Artemio Dumlao, Evelyn Macairan