Marcos admin bares Senate slate; VP Duterte ‘ready to mingle’

INCUMBENCY AS ADVANTAGE President Marcos (center, in white) attends Thursday’s convention of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, where the coalition announced its 12 senatorial candidates in next year’s midterm elections. Alyansa consists of five major political parties: Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and National Unity Party. —PPA POOL

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday unveiled the administration’s 12-member senatorial ticket for the 2025 midterm elections — a motley mix that includes his former rivals, returning or reelectionist lawmakers, House members, a Cabinet official, and a city mayor.

‘It is often said that elections usher in a season of division and mudslinging, but what our alliance launches is exactly the opposite because this is a people’s movement that will unite the widest alliance of patriotic Filipinos,” Mr. Marcos said in his speech in Filipino.

Five members of the administration ticket are seeking reelection to the Senate: Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, and the President’s sister, Imee Marcos, who was conspicuously absent during the ABP launch at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

READ: Abby Binay on being in Senate slate with Pia Cayetano: No issue with her

“She must have jumped the gun on everyone else because she is already busy campaigning and could not make it here today,” Mr. Marcos said with a wry smile.

Three aspirants are attempting a Senate comeback, two of whom were Mr. Marcos’ rivals in the 2022 presidential race: former senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao. The third, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, is a former Senate president.

Two House members, Representatives Erwin Tulfo of ACT-CIS party-list and Camille Villar of Las Piñas City, were also part of the roster. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay completed the lineup.

Siblings in Senate

Tulfo and Villar will seek to join each of their siblings, Senators Raffy Tulfo and Mark Villar, in the Senate, as the latter’s mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar, will be leaving the chamber upon reaching her term limit.

Senators may not serve more than two consecutive six-year terms.

Aside from the elder Villar, other senators set to complete their terms next year are Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay.

The ABP launch came three days after opposition groups announced on Monday the senatorial bid of former senators Bam Aquino, and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno in Cagayan De Oro City.

Thursday’s event also saw the signing of a manifesto by leaders of the parties comprising the ABP, which include the Marcos-led Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, and Nacionalista Party.

The manifesto represents the parties’ “reaffirmation of their commitment to the President’s vision of building a more prosperous, peaceful, and inclusive Philippines, anchored on the principles of good governance, social justice, and economic progress.”

Not closing doors

In 2022, Mr. Marcos successfully ran for president under a different coalition with a similar unity-themed platform, the UniTeam, with Vice President Sara Duterte.

But the alliance broke down two years into his administration, forcing the daughter of Mr. Marcos’ predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to leave her post as education secretary in July.

At a press conference in her office on Wednesday, the Vice President said she was not closing any doors on possible alliances of her own for next year’s elections.

“But right now, as I have been saying, I’m single and ready to mingle,” said Duterte, the leader of the Davao-based Hugpong ng Pagbabago party.

She previously served as chair of Lakas-CMD until she left the party in May last year over political differences with its president, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Mr. Marcos’ cousin.

Duterte said there were no formal discussions yet about a possible coalition with her father’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, the former ruling party.