Escudero steers clear of BBM-Imee conflict

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has refused to comment on the rumored rift between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his sister, Senator Imee Marcos.

In a press briefing on Monday, Escudero said he would leave it to the siblings to fix whatever problems they may have at the moment.

“My grandfather taught me never to meddle in family disputes because, in the end, they might reconcile and you’ll end up being the enemy of both. I won’t attempt to find an explanation, reason, or logic for what has happened in the past two weeks,” he said.

“At the end of the day, they are family, they are siblings, and whatever misunderstanding they have can be easily resolved, whether in a short or long period of time,” he added.

The Senate chief noted that in politics, it is not unusual for family members to have differences, especially with elections approaching.

Speculation about a rift between the Marcos siblings intensified after President Marcos, during campaign sorties last week, failed to mention his sister while endorsing his senatorial slate.

On Sunday, Senator Marcos said she was uncertain if she was still part of the senatorial slate endorsed by her brother.

“I don’t know, I don’t know. I haven’t asked, 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, alluding to the hearing she conducted on the arrest and transfer of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands.

“I’m focused on that because our country’s sovereignty is at stake. That seems more important and more nerve-wracking than elections, campaigns, and politics,” she added.

Senator Marcos heads the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that held a hearing last Thursday on the arrest of Duterte on 11 March.

During the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas rally in Laguna last Saturday, President Marcos notably left out his sister’s name while calling for support for the coalition’s senatorial slate. The omission reignited speculation about a long-rumored rift between the siblings.

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

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

Senator Marcos has openly criticized her brother’s administration for the arrest of Duterte, who is now in The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.

During Thursday’s public hearing, she criticized her brother’s Cabinet officials for surrendering Duterte to a “foreign” court, saying it was an insult to the country’s sovereignty.

At the hearing, government officials gave conflicting statements on the arrest of Duterte, which his family and supporters described as a kidnapping and political persecution.

Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 11 March on his return from Hong Kong where he attended a Kingdom of Jesus Christ event with overseas Filipino workers.

That night, he was flown to The Hague, where the ICC is based, to face charges linked to his anti-drugs crackdown between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.

Meanwhile, Marcos has not confirmed whether his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, remains part of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP) coalition.

During a rally in Santa Rosa, Laguna, he introduced all APBP candidates except Imee, who was absent. She and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar have not participated in recent campaign rallies following the arrest of former President Duterte.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President’s previous statements were clear and advised waiting for future rallies for further clarification.

APBP campaign manager Toby Tiangco suggested Imee should address questions about her status within the coalition herself.

Imee has focused on leading a Senate investigation into Duterte’s arrest, while also maintaining she is not an expert on international law. She has declared her candidacy as an independent, separate from the administration’s ticket.

Castro confirmed there is no information on any recent communication between the Marcos siblings.