President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. downplayed the purported candidacies of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his two sons, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, for senators in the 2025 election.

In a media interview at the National Employment Summit at the Manila Hotel on Thursday, Marcos said nothing is final until the Duterte family has formally filed their certificate of candidacy for the senatorial bid this October.

Earlier this week, Vice President Sara Duterte said that her father and her brothers would all be running for Senate in the 2025 elections.

"It’s a free country. They’re allowed to do whatever they want. I really have no reaction to it. Besides, it’s still early.  We really won’t know any of these things," Marcos said.

"The only real situation will become clear in October, during the filing. Then we will really see if they will run, who will really run? Who will they join with? What are the parties involved? Which parties are in alliance with which? That's all we will see in October," Marcos added.

The Marcoses and the Dutertes, both coming from different parts of the country, are some of the most powerful political families in the Philippines.

President Marcos and Vice President Duterte made history two years ago after securing their positions during the 2022 national elections. 

Marcos won with 31.6 million votes while Duterte had over 32 million. Much of the credit for their overwhelming triumph went to their coalition, the UniTeam.

Cracks in UniTeam

Following the elections, there were visible signs of discord between Dutertes and Marcoses. The Vice President resigned from her post as Lakas-CMD chairperson, the House refused to grant her request for private funding, and she openly opposed both the amendment of the constitution and the resumption of peace negotiations with the communists.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos acknowledged in April that she was not in good terms with VP Sara after the latter's father, former President Duterte, claimed that his successor used illegal drug use.

In a media interview in Davao during the Independence Day rites in Davao City last 12 June, VP Sara said that the UniTeam is good only for 2022 polls.

Duterte established Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional party of the UniTeam alliance, during the 2022 national elections. However, she ran as Vice President under the Lakas-CMD flag in the national elections, which was also a part of that large alliance.

“The UniTeam was a tandem during the 2022 elections. The elections are over, we won and we are grateful to those who supported us,” Duterte told local reporters.

“We are not candidates anymore,” Duterte added when pressed by reporters about the status of the UniTeam.

Five days after the Vice President issued the remarks,  Duterte exited from the Marcos Cabinet as she resigned as the Department of Education Secretary.

There's still UniTeam

Asked about his stance again regarding the UniTeam status, Marcos insisted the parties remained intact despite recent political shifts.

However, the Vice President's decision in the upcoming midterm elections if she would further move through other political affiliations will significantly influence the UniTeam's dynamics moving forward. 

"You have to remember the PDP was never truly a part of the UniTeam. PDP was never part of UniTeam even during the election. So, it does not change anything for the UniTeam," Marcos said.

"But it depends on Inday Sara's positioning come election time, whether she aligns with the administration or with the opposition," Marcos added.