Senator Imee Marcos has fired back at Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, calling him “ambitious” after he criticized her for allegedly using the Senate for political purposes.
The clash followed Escudero’s refusal to sign a contempt order issued by Marcos against Special Envoy Markus Lacanilao, who was accused of lying during a Senate probe into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest order.
“Yung ginagamit para sa politika, nakakatuwa naman kasi alam naman natin na siya yung ambisyoso. Ako yung nakalimutan nga mangampanya na,” Marcos said on Tuesday, in response to Escudero’s remarks.
When asked if she was referring to Escudero’s rumored 2028 political ambitions, Marcos said, “Hindi ko alam, pero alam ko, mataas ang iniisip nun eh.”
She suggested Escudero may be feeling anxious about his position, especially with a new Congress on the horizon. “Siyempre, bagong Kongreso, siyempre, bago na naman ang Senate President. Siguro, baka nati-tense. Hindi ko alam, hindi ko alam. Pero alam ko, parating may plano yun eh, marunong yun eh,” she said.
Escudero earlier defended his decision, warning against using the Senate for “media mileage or political ambition.” He added, “For when procedures meant to safeguard due process and institutional integrity are ignored… that is when the credibility of the Senate is threatened.”
He also urged Marcos “to refrain from using the Senate as a platform for her own personal political objectives and instead use her name, title, and influence as a bridge toward unity, not a wedge for division.”
While Escudero issued a show cause order for Lacanilao to explain why he should not be cited for contempt, Marcos challenged its legality, saying such a procedure isn’t in the Senate rules.
“Wala sa buong rules ng Senado yung show cause na yan,” she said. “Nakakatuwa naman talaga yung mga pinagsasabi. Ang akin na lamang, balikan natin ang tunay na rules ng Senado.”
