Reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos announced on Wednesday her withdrawal from her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP) senatorial slate seven weeks before the May midterm elections.

Citing the preliminary findings of her investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Marcos said she “cannot stand on the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa.”

“As will be soon discussed in my preliminary findings, clearly there were actions taken by the administration that ran counter to my ideals and principles. Thus, I cannot stand on the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa. As I have stated from the outset of the election period, I will continue to maintain my independence,” she said. 

She continued: “Over and above political advantage, the sovereignty of the country and the interest of true justice for every Filipino must remain paramount.”

Last week, Marcos spearheaded a Senate investigation into the arrest of Duterte where government officials gave conflicting statements on the arrest which the former president’s family and supporters insisted was a kidnapping and a political persecution.

For President Marcos’s sister, the government witnesses “appeared to be hiding essential facts” when they repeatedly invoked executive privilege and the sub judice rule at the hearing. 

“Beyond their constant narrative that the Philippines was simply complying with its international commitments, a deliberate effort to obscure the truth only gave rise to ever greater suspicion that the Constitution may have been disregarded and our sovereignty diminished with the arrest of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” she said. 

Senator Marcos openly criticized the arrest of Duterte, who is now in The Hague, the Netherlands in detention awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 11 March upon his return from Hong Kong where he addressed a rally of overseas Filipino workers.

That same night, he was flown to The Hague, where the ICC is based, to face murder charges linked to the anti-drug crackdown during his tenure as Davao City mayor and then as president between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 where thousands were killed.

‘We wish her luck’ 

Last week, at two APBP rallies, President Marcos notably omitted his sister’s name when he introduced the coalition’s candidates. The omission renewed speculation about a long-rumored rift between the siblings.

Asked to comment, Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco, APBP campaign manager, said the coalition respected Senator Marcos’s decision.

“We respect Senator Imee’s decision. We wish her luck in the campaign,” Tiangco said. 

In September last year, Senator Marcos announced she would run as an independent candidate, refusing to join the senatorial slate of the administration despite being included in it. 

However, in February, she joined the administration bets when they kicked off their campaign in the Marcoses’ bailiwick in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Aside from the campaign sortie in Ilocos Norte, Senator Marcos also joined the coalition in other provinces and cities such as Iloilo, Pasay, Bacolod and Pili, Camarines Sur.

No replacement

Tiangco debunked a newspaper report (not DAILY TRIBUNE) suggesting that Alyansa is in talks with Liberal Party’s (LP) Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV as potential replacements for Senator Marcos and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar, who missed several campaign sorties following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“That’s completely untrue. I haven’t met with Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan. The Alyansa slate is solid and fully aligned with President Bongbong Marcos’ agenda,” Tiangco told reporters.

Pangilinan and Aquino are running as independents. Pangilinan remains a member of the Liberal Party while Aquino now chairs the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino.

There has been speculation about Villar’s sudden absence from rallies in Tacloban City, Leyte; Trece Martires, Cavite; and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, with some suggesting it could be related to the Marcos administration’s decision to hand Duterte over to the ICC — a move publicly criticized by her parents, Senator Cynthia Villar and ex-senator Manny Villar.

The Villars are key allies of the former president, with Senator Mark Villar serving as Duterte’s former chief at the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Rep. Villar has yet to issue an official statement regarding her absence, although Tiangco confirmed she attended an Alyansa meeting late Tuesday.