Senator Imee Marcos has formally withdrawn her support from the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, just days after the arrest of her close ally, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement on Wednesday, the presidential sister said she could no longer campaign alongside the coalition’s senatorial candidates, citing a need to remain independent.
“I cannot stand on the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa,” she said, reaffirming her earlier commitment to maintain political independence.
Her office confirmed that this marked her official exit from the Alyansa.
As chairperson of the Senate foreign relations committee, Sen. Marcos previously initiated an inquiry into Duterte’s arrest. Preliminary findings, she said, suggest that certain actions taken by the current administration conflict with her core principles.
“The sovereignty of the country and true justice for every Filipino must remain paramount,” she emphasized.
She also raised concerns over the government’s invocation of executive privilege and sub judice rules during the Senate hearing on March 20, suggesting efforts to conceal critical details and possibly bypass the Constitution.
Following her withdrawal, speculations about a rift between her and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. intensified. Sen. Marcos announced she would skip Alyansa campaign rallies to instead focus on investigating the surrender of a Filipino national to a foreign entity—a move she says is not just about Duterte, but about defending national sovereignty.
Meanwhile, President Marcos has reportedly stopped mentioning his sister in public rallies and reiterated that Duterte’s arrest was not political persecution. He clarified that while his administration did not work with the International Criminal Court (ICC), it could not ignore requests from Interpol.
