SENATOR Imee Marcos defended her close friendship with Vice President Sara Duterte while reaffirming her support for her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. This comes amid skepticism from some Duterte supporters and allies who have questioned the senator’s loyalty.
In a press conference held in Davao City on Saturday, May 10, 2025, Marcos addressed the issue following Duterte’s recent endorsement of her Senate bid. Marcos said that their friendship dates back to when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City.
She recalled Duterte’s previous support for her candidacy and said she encouraged the vice president to seek national office despite earlier hesitations. Marcos also dismissed concerns that she might eventually turn against Duterte.
“I think si Inday Sara kilala na niya ako for a long time (I think Inday Sara has known me for a long time),” the incumbent senator said,
The senator also spoke about her role in the Senate investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying she was disheartened by the way he was handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity tied to the war on drugs.
“Naalala ko nung nakita ko yung pagtangay kay President Duterte, eh ‘yung pag-kidnap rin ng tatay ko, nung tinangay kami papuntang Hawaii kaya para sa akin pareho lang ‘yun at hindi ‘yun tama (When I saw how President Duterte was taken away, it reminded me of my father’s abduction and how we were brought to Hawaii. For me, it’s the same — and it’s wrong)," she said, referencing the exile of the Marcos family after the 1986 Edsa Revolution.
Marcos also questioned the timing of the Department of Agriculture’s P20-per-kilo rice program launch in Cebu on May 1, which was suspended just a day later. She said that while the initiative aligns with the President’s 2022 campaign promise, it is difficult to sustain without meaningful support for farmers.
“Hindi maganda ‘yung mga programang bigla-bigla. Tulungan muna natin ‘yung mga rice farmer. Hindi ‘yung pang-election lang Programs shouldn’t be rushed. Let’s help our rice farmers first — not just for election purposes)," she said.
The senator also clarified her remarks in a campaign video released on May 9, where she claimed that the current administration is being dominated by the Romualdez and Araneta families, rather than by the Marcoses. She stood by her statement and also rejected Vice President Duterte’s earlier suggestion for her to change her surname, saying she remains proud of her family’s legacy and is distancing herself from those she believes betrayed her father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
On the same day, PDP-Laban, the party once led by former President Duterte, formally included Senator Imee Marcos and Representative Camille Villar as guest candidates in its 12-member Senate slate. The party cited the need for more allies in the Senate to help defend Vice President Duterte from potential impeachment moves.
Earlier, Vice President Duterte endorsed all 12 PDP-Laban senatorial candidates, including Marcos and Villar. RGL
