Senator Imee Marcos has openly criticized her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in a new political advertisement, claiming that the current government is no longer under the control of the Marcos family but is instead dominated by the Romualdez and Araneta clans.
“Ang gobyerno ngayon ay hindi Marcos. Ang gobyerno ngayon ay Romualdez at Araneta,” she declared, taking a direct swipe at House Speaker Martin Romualdez, her cousin, and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, her sister-in-law.
Senator Marcos, who is seeking reelection, expressed frustration over the alliances her brother’s administration has formed, arguing that a true Marcos would not collaborate with politicians who once mistreated their family — a reference to the political challenges they faced after the 1986 People Power Revolution, which led to their family’s exile.
“Hindi mo kakainin ang isinuka mo para lamang sa politika. Hindi ganiyan ang legasiya ng aking ama,” she emphasized, invoking the legacy of their father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
The senator further criticized the government’s handling of current national issues, pointing out the country’s dependence on imported goods and what she called a compromised justice system.
“Imported na ang bigas, imported pa ang hustisya, kaya malinaw ang gobyerno ngayon ay hindi Marcos. Ang gobyerno ngayon ay Romualdez at Araneta,” she added.
Tensions between the Marcos siblings have intensified, particularly after their conflicting views on the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Imee Marcos has been critical of the ICC proceedings and even launched a Senate investigation, which led to her decision to leave the administration’s political coalition, Alyansa.
She also hinted that her brother’s declining approval ratings were starting to affect her reelection campaign.
