Senator Imee Marcos, the sister of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., revealed on Wednesday that she is officially stepping away from her brother’s senatorial ticket in the upcoming elections.
In her statement, Imee expressed that the administration’s actions, particularly concerning the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, conflicted with her own ideals and principles. She clarified that she could no longer be part of the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas party.
“I cannot stand on the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa. I will continue to maintain my independence,” Imee said. “The sovereignty of the country and the interest of true justice for every Filipino must remain paramount,” she emphasized.
Imee also criticized government officials’ conduct during the Senate investigation into Duterte’s arrest, which she led. She noted that by invoking executive privilege and the sub judice rule, government witnesses appeared to be concealing important facts, raising suspicions about potential violations of the Constitution and undermining the country’s sovereignty.
The Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas campaign manager, Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, expressed respect for Imee’s decision, offering her best wishes for her campaign. Notably, during campaign events in Cavite and Laguna, President Marcos refrained from mentioning his sister and asked supporters to back the 11 senatorial candidates instead of the usual 12.
Earlier, Tiangco had denied any discussions regarding Imee’s possible removal from the slate.
