Villar bolting Alyansa? Senatorial bet’s photos with VP Sara circulating

Speculation is growing that Rep. Camille Villar may leave the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP) following the circulation of photos showing her with Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former Senate President Manny Villar.

On Sunday, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque posted a photo of Vice President Duterte with Rep. Villar and former Senate President Villar. In the photos, the Villars were doing the Duterte “fist bump.”

In a social media post on Saturday, vlogger Tio Moreno shared a photo of Duterte and Rep. Villar with filmmaker Darryl Yap.

Alyansa unfazed

Despite these developments, the APBP remains in high spirits.

APBP campaign manager Toby Tiangco quickly downplayed the rumors, stating that the administration’s senatorial slate remained “intact.”

Tiangco emphasized that the coalition continues to receive strong support at both the national and local levels, as well as from grassroots organizations, saying that politics is about “addition, not division.”

He said the coalition remains focused on supporting candidates who align with the vision of a “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines), a platform championed by President Marcos.

“The support we continue to receive proves that our candidates are capable, committed, and deserving of the trust of the Filipino people. This is what matters most as we work to build a broad coalition,” Tiangco said, stressing that individual endorsements, such as the one from Duterte, are part of a broader effort to unify diverse groups under a shared vision.

“This is something that we welcome and are proud of because politics is about addition, not division. It is about building coalitions. And in any election, every bit of support counts,” he added.

He also pointed out that the candidates were chosen for their abilities, experience, and commitment to the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” vision.

“One of our goals is to build broad support around the shared platform of Alyansa, and our overarching objective is for all our candidates to win because they are capable, committed, and deserving of the trust and confidence of the Filipino people,” Tiangco said.

He emphasized that each endorsement of Alyansa candidates reflects support for the President’s vision, which he highlighted was “what matters most.”

Marcos has full trust in bets

In a press briefing at Malacañang, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro affirmed that President Marcos has full trust in his chosen candidates.

“Sa kanyang mga kandidato, definitely yes (In his candidates, definitely yes),” she said.

In the midterm elections less than a month away, voters will elect 12 senators, 254 representatives, 63 partylist representatives, and nearly 18,000 local officials, including governors, provincial board members, mayors and councilors.

The Commission on Elections on Sunday began conducting the month-long overseas voting for registered voters abroad. More than 77 Online Voting and Counting Systems have opened, alongside 16 posts in Philippine embassies and consulates, which will utilize automated counting machines.