De Lima doubts seriousness of Dutertes’ political plans

MANILA, Philippines — The Dutertes’ announcement of their future political plans could not be serious and is likely a mere display of power and show of force, former senator Leila de Lima said yesterday.

De Lima pointed out the timing of the announcement of the Dutertes running for the Senate and the youngest, Sebastian Duterte, for president in 2028, which was made after the dismissal of her drug charges.

“My initial reaction is I doubt the seriousness of that announcement. What is this? Is this just a gimmickry or some kind of, you know, it’s just a stunt and some kind of a diversion? And then remember also that the announcement came a day after the release of the order in my last case,” De Lima said over ANC.

Earlier, Vice President Sara Duterte announced that former president Duterte and sons Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte will run for the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections.

Sara also confirmed that Sebastian is being groomed as their presidential candidate in the 2028 presidential race. For 2025, the Vice President has disclosed that all three Dutertes are ready to join the Senate race.

This came after the Vice President resigned from the Cabinet, confirming the growing rift between her and President Marcos.

De Lima noted that the Duterte pronouncement could also be a form of diversionary tactic, amid the House of Representatives’ decision to summon the former president and former Philippine National Police chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa in its probe into extrajudicial killings during the previous administration’s war on drugs.

“So what is this? This could also be diversionary. But with the political happenings now, you know that there is no longer the unity team, (Sara is) no longer the DepEd secretary. And then of course the Duterte camp has been finding ways and means to really show to us, show to the people, they’re still around. They cannot just be counted out and ruled out. So it’s a display of power and a show of force,” De Lima said.

“Are they offering solutions to the real problems of our country? When they’re part of the problem? I would say that they’re really part of the problem. You know the things that they’ve done during their time, the Duterte regime, some of the problems are inherited by the current administration,” De Lima said, lamenting the problem of political dynasties.

‘Game-changer’

The issuance of a warrant of arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former president Duterte will be a “game-changer” in any political comeback, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said yesterday.

In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, Trillanes said he is waiting for the ICC’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Duterte over his bloody war on drugs during his presidency and when he was Davao mayor.

“At this point in time, it is a waiting game. Ultimately, the ICC will release the warrant of arrest (within) one, two to three months. Let’s just wait,” Trillanes said.

He earlier said the ICC is likely to issue the warrant for Duterte’s arrest within June or July. –  Jose Rodel Clapano, Artemio Dumlao, Emmanuel Tupas, Daphne Galvez