Imee Marcos: Sara Duterte’s endorsement not ‘reward’ for Senate ICC probe
MANILA, Philippines – Reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos said on Tuesday, April 15, that Vice President Sara Duterte’s endorsement of her candidacy is not a “reward” for leading the Senate probe into the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte based on a warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Hindi ko naisip yun. Hindi rin niya naisip. Talagang nag-uusap na kami noon, noon-noon pa,” Senator Marcos told reporters. (I never thought of that. She didn’t either. We had already been talking, way before.)
“Noong pabalik niya sa Hague, inutusan yata sila ni Senator Robin ni presidente Duterte ng mga kampanya at tulungan ng mga kasangga,” she added.
(When she was on her way back to The Hague, it seems Senator Robin [Padilla] and former president Duterte instructed them to campaign and help their allies.)
She added that the endorsement was a result of her friendship with the Vice President. Senator Robin Padilla has also endorsed her Senate bid. However, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has yet to state whether the party is backing Senator Marcos’ candidacy.
On Monday, April 14, Duterte appeared alongside Senator Marcos, urging the public to support the senator’s bid. The 30-second advertisement features Duterte and Senator Imee exchanging lines about the government’s alleged neglect of basic national issues in favor of politics and power.
Senator Marcos secured the Vice President’s endorsement after leading a Senate probe into the former president’s ICC arrest. The video shoot reportedly took place over the weekend, following the circulation of photos of the two on social media.
She has withdrawn twice from the senatorial slate of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. For years, Senator Marcos has carefully navigated the delicate balance between being a Marcos and a staunch supporter of the Duterte family.
Senator Marcos’ numbers have continued to drop in pre-election surveys. In the recent Pulse Asia survey, she remained outside the winning circle, placing between 13th and 18th.
Meanwhile, the Vice President is set to face an impeachment trial that could potentially remove her from office and bar her from running for public office. A two-thirds vote (16) is needed to convict, which means Marcos will need a minimum of nine votes to secure an acquittal. – Rappler.com