‘Umpugan with Tambaloslos’: Imee is ‘open’ to being SP

Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday said she is open to the possibility of becoming Senate President, a role considered crucial in shaping legislative priorities and overseeing impeachment proceedings.

Speaking at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado forum, Marcos was asked whether she would consider replacing Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who has expressed his intent to continue leading the chamber in the upcoming 20th Congress.

"I think every senator will rise to the challenge," Marcos told reporters.

The eldest sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously revealed that some of her colleagues have been urging her to oust Escudero.

She made the remark just weeks after the 12 May elections, where she secured a fresh six-year term in the Senate with the backing of Vice President Sara Duterte, who has a pending impeachment case in the chamber.

Without naming names, Marcos said someone casually suggested she consider running for Senate President.

"Someone just asked me if I could be the one to run instead. I think they just want me to go head-to-head with Tambaloslos," she said, referring to a mythical figure in Visayan folklore.

The term “Tambaloslos” first gained traction in political discourse in 2023, when the Vice President posted a photo of herself on social media with a cryptic caption: “Sa imong ambisyon, do not be a tambaloslos.”

Last year, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, a close Duterte ally, also used the term — this time referring to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, whom he accused of harboring presidential ambitions for 2028.

Newly elected senators — those who made it to the so-called "Magic 12" — will begin their official duties in July with the opening of the 20th Congress.

Should Marcos decide to run, she could face a three-way race against Senator-elect Vicente “Tito” Sotto, who is reportedly being courted to challenge Escudero, and Escudero himself, who has held the post since May of last year.

Sotto has publicly expressed interest in leading the 24-member chamber again, a role he previously held during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Without disclosing the identities of those urging him to replace Escudero, the former Senate chief said at least three to four senators are convincing him to run.

Escudero, for his part, has said he would let the majority decide whether he should retain the post.

To unseat Escudero, a challenger would need to secure at least 13 votes from fellow senators.

The Senate President is widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the chamber. Under the Constitution, the Senate President is third in the presidential line of succession, after the president and vice president.