President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, have weighed in on the ongoing impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, with both distancing themselves from the process but offering strong opinions on the matter.

President Marcos emphasized that the executive branch has no role in the impeachment proceedings, clarifying that while he discussed the issue with lawmakers, the decision remains in the hands of Congress.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos expressed her firm opposition to the impeachment, calling for a focus on the country’s urgent issues rather than political destabilization.

Marcos Jr. admitted that his son, Sandro, sought his opinion on the matter.

“It’s very simple what I told him,” Marcos said. “He said, ‘It looks like they’re going to sign,’ and I told him, ‘The process has begun. It’s your duty now to support that process. Do your duty.’” The Chief Executive emphasized that his son, as a lawmaker, is Constitutionally bound to fulfill his role in the process, though he was surprised that Sandro was the first to sign the impeachment complaint.

The President clarified that none of his allies in the House filed the impeachment complaint, stating, “None of those who say they are my allies in the House filed for impeachment. I asked them not to, and they didn’t.”

He added that those who did file the complaint likely felt it was necessary.

A total of 215 out of 306 lawmakers signed the impeachment complaint, which has now been sent to the Senate for trial.

Despite the House moving forward with the impeachment, Marcos did not view it as a “defiance” of his wishes. “I’m sure the parties that filed the impeachment felt strongly about it. Despite my urging to avoid impeachment, they continued with it,” he said. “I don’t see it as defiance; they are expressing what they feel is right.”

Regarding the Senate’s role in the process, Marcos said he would leave it to them to decide how to proceed. “It depends on how the Senate chooses to handle it,” he said, noting that the Senate President’s plan and the senators’ approach were still unclear. “We’ll have to wait until they decide how it’s going to be handled.”

On Wednesday, the Articles of Impeachment were officially transmitted to the Senate, but the upper chamber did not address the complaints, opting to suspend its session until June.

Marcos indicated that a special session could be called for the impeachment trial, but as of now, no requests have been made.

Imee opposes Sara impeachment

The much-anticipated impeachment trial in the Senate against Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to begin, but one potential senator-judge may have already made her stance clear.

On Thursday, Senator Imee Marcos voiced her firm opposition to the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, whom she previously described as a “close friend.”

According to the oldest sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., she does not support impeachment, destabilization, or a revolutionary government.

“I do not want an impeachment. I do not want destabilization. I do not want a revolutionary government. I do not want resignation. I do not want chaos,” Senator Marcos said in a statement.

She emphasized the need to prioritize the country’s real issues, such as the high cost of goods, unemployment, and the lack of support for vulnerable sectors like farmers, PWDs and seniors.

Senator Marcos stressed that impeachment and destabilization are not the solutions to the nation’s pressing challenges.

“Is impeachment and destabilization the solution? This is not the answer to the challenges we face. It is shameful!” she said.

Senator Marcos called on her colleagues to focus on alleviating the struggles of the poor.

“Let us prioritize responding to the suffering of the poor, so we can alleviate their hardship and achieve real change,” she said.