Imee uncertain of Alyansa status

Reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos admitted on Sunday that she is uncertain whether she remains part of the senatorial slate endorsed by her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for the upcoming May midterm elections.

In an ambush interview, Senator Marcos said she has yet to clarify her status with Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, a day after her brother skipped her name while endorsing the coalition’s candidates during a campaign rally in the vote-rich province of Laguna.

“I don’t know, I don’t know. I haven’t asked yet, and we don’t really talk. Honestly, it’s okay because I am focused on the case and the hearing and what would be our findings,” she said in Filipino.

Senator Marcos was referring to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ hearing last Thursday into the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte on 11 March.

During Alyansa’s rally in Laguna on Saturday, President Marcos notably left out his sister’s name while calling for public support for the coalition’s slate. This omission has reignited speculation about a long-rumored rift between the siblings.

“Let us unite in our alliance. We should not be just an alliance of these 10, 11 candidates who are running for senator under the Alyansa slate. Join us in our alliance and let us work together in improving the lives of every Filipino,” President Marcos said.

It was not the first time President Marcos failed to mention his sister’s name, as he also did so during Friday’s coalition sortie in Laguna, another vote-rich province in CALABARZON.

‘Studying international law is difficult since we’re not entirely familiar with it. The ICC, Interpol, issues related to RA 9851, expatriation law, and various other legal matters — these are all things we are still learning about. This is new to all of us because their system is different from ours.’

Senator Marcos said Representative Toby Tiangco, the campaign manager of Alyansa, has yet to reach out to her following the omission of her name during the administration ticket’s rallies.

“No, there was no news from Toby,” she said. Tiangco previously denied rumors of the ticket dropping the presidential sister.

When asked whether she would no longer join the coalition’s future sorties, Senator Marcos said she was not sure, citing her focus on reviewing international laws.

“Studying international law is difficult since we’re not entirely familiar with it. The ICC, Interpol, issues related to RA 9851, expatriation law, and various other legal matters — these are all things we are still learning about. This is new to all of us because their system is different from ours,” she said.

“But the most important thing is that we must never surrender our country or our sovereignty to any large or powerful court. What matters is that Filipinos should be tried in our own country, in our own courts,” she added.

Senator Marcos openly criticized the arrest of the former president, who is now in The Hague, Netherlands, to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.

During Thursday’s public hearing, government officials offered conflicting statements on the arrest of Duterte, which his family and supporters described as kidnapping and part of a political persecution.