Imee opts out of administration’s senatorial slate

MANILA, Philippines — It’s final: Sen. Imee Marcos will not run under the political alliance of her brother President Marcos’ senatorial slate in next year’s midterm elections.

While grateful to be picked for inclusion in the administration Senate slate, the senator said she would rather campaign alone for her reelection bid, but admitted that it was a sacrifice for her to do so.

She added that she prefers to be free to talk to all parties and not be tied to a single alliance.

The administration coalition remains supportive of Senator Marcos even if she has decided to seek reelection as an independent candidate, the President said yesterday.

Imee, the eldest sister of the President, was one of 12 candidates in the senatorial slate unveiled by the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas last Thursday.

Just two days after the revelation of the administration-backed senatorial ticket, Imee announced that she is running as an independent candidate to avoid placing her younger brother in a difficult situation and to prevent her true friends from harboring doubts.

The senator also thanked the President for defending her and including her in the alliance despite the “anger” and “cruelty” of some people she did not name.

“It’s really a sacrifice to stand alone, but it is necessary to be independent and strong, and here it is. Many people used to say that I was sailing on two rivers. What I want is for me to be the road where all the rivers meet… It’s a tremendous sacrifice to stand alone. But I need to be free to cross the line, to talk to all parties and to get things done. UniTeam was a dream that I shared in 2022, and I hold fast to that dream of unity for all Filipinos,” the senator said.

“That’s why it’s my first time to do this, I somehow expect that perhaps, I’ll be invited and if I’ll be asked to come, why wouldn’t I? There is no problem with that. The only thing I fear is the heat of the election. We know that becomes cruel. Sometimes, what is said hurts. I can’t take it anymore, so it’s better to stay away and be independent, even if it’s very difficult,” she added.

The senator maintained that her decision to take no political side was really meant to protect her brother, noting that she and the President had never had a fight.

Asked to react to the senator’s decision, the Chief Executive said running as an independent candidate was his sister’s choice.

“That’s fine. That happens. I’ve run as an independent myself many times. And so that is her choice. I suppose that gives her a little bit more scope and freedom to make her own schedule and to campaign in the way that she would like to do,” the President told reporters in a chance interview in Tarlac.

Marcos said Imee still has the backing of the administration coalition, which consists of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party and Nacionalista Party.

“But you know, the Alyansa is still behind her. We are still continuing to support her. And, if down the road she chooses to join us in our campaign sorties, she is, of course, very welcome,” the President added.

Imee is an ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, who stepped down as education secretary and vice chair of the government’s anti-insurgency task force in June.

Duterte was the President’s running mate in the 2022 national elections, which saw them beating their respective rivals by a landslide, but their alliance crumbled following the souring of their relations.

Imee has vowed to remain with the Vice President “in every step of the way in this fight for the country.”

Imee was the only candidate of the administration alliance who was not present during the unveiling of its senatorial lineup in Pasay.

Marcoleta to run as senator

Meanwhile, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta declared yesterday that he would be joining the midterm elections next year not to seek reelection as party-list congressman, but to run for senator.

Marcoleta made his declaration in a social media post on X of netizen Allan Jacob where the perceived political ally of the Vice President announced that he would be seeking a Senate seat – for the second time since the 2022 polls – in the midterm elections.

“I’m now running for senator because I am now in my third and last term as a congressman. Many of our people, especially those who have always been very supportive of me, say they still need me in public service,” Marcoleta said.

The lawyer-lawmaker, however, did not mention which political party he will be joining.

In May 2022, he was among the 12 senatorial candidates of the UniTeam.

Two weeks before the elections, however, he withdrew his candidacy and opted to seek re-election as party-list congressman, as his organization Sagip won in the polls and for which he assumed office in July 2022, after he was named as the group’s first nominee.

Marcoleta made the announcement to run for senator after he was removed last week by the leadership of the House of Representatives from five committees where he was a member, during Congress’ last day of session on Sept. 25.

During the plenary session, he was removed from his membership in the powerful Commission on Appointments and House committees on justice, public accounts, energy and constitutional amendments.

As per the nomination of House Majority Leader Jam Baronda of Iloilo City, the lawmaker will be replaced by Rep. Virginia Lacson of party-list Manila Teachers in all of Marcoleta’s memberships, from the bicameral body to the House panels.

No reason was given in the plenary for the changes.

Earlier, Marcoleta was also removed as vice chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, where he was shown to have sided with Duterte, whose office’s expenditures are being probed due to disallowances by the Commission on Audit.

During the Sept. 10 budget deliberations of the Office of the Vice President, Marcoleta was seen openly endorsing the office’s P2-billion budget allocation for 2025, invoking “tradition,” which means there should be no more scrutiny of the budget, giving the VP due courtesy.

He was outvoted by his colleagues, however, even if it was found out later that he was not a member of the House appropriations committee headed by Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co that was then presided by its senior vice chairperson, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo.

Ong’s next battle

From fighting cancer to campaigning, Dr. Willie Ong has declared that he would run for senator in next year’s elections.

Ong, who was a vice-presidential candidate in the 2022 elections alongside former Manila mayor Isko Moreno, said he is set to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) tomorrow.

His wife Liza will file the COC on his behalf while he is getting treatment for sarcoma cancer abroad.

“I will file for senator. I will be filing (my candidacy for) senator on Oct. 2, Wednesday. I’ve done the paperwork, I’ve had it notarized, Doc Lisa is on the plane,” Ong said in a live video posted on social media.

He added that he would run as an independent candidate and that he would give it his best shot despite battling cancer.

“We will do it the cleanest way, we’re not admin, Duterte or opposition. I’m alone, this is me,” Ong said.

“We will run, we will show that God is real. This time, we are gonna win it. We will spend nothing. No money to anyone,” he added. — Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla, Romina Cabrera