President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. rallied support for the administration’s senatorial candidates during the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas event in Tacloban City, Leyte, on 14 March 2025. Addressing a packed crowd at Plaza Libertad, he emphasized the coalition’s vision for peace, progress, and inclusive growth while urging voters to back experienced legislators.

In a pointed remark, Marcos stated that killing thousands to combat crime and illegal drugs is not the right solution—a statement widely seen as a veiled criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte. His comment came on the same day Duterte was taken into custody and brought to The Hague, where he faces trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.

While Marcos clarified that the Philippine government did not assist the ICC, he acknowledged that it had to honor its commitments to Interpol regarding Duterte’s arrest.