Vice President Sara Duterte alleged irregularities in the recently concluded 2025 senatorial elections, claiming that three additional candidates from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) actually won but were not proclaimed.
Speaking during a Philippine Independence Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Duterte appeared on stage with former PDP senatorial hopefuls Jayvee Hinlo, Jimmy Bondoc, and Richard Mata. “Tapos na naman ang kampanya. Totoo yun. Pero bakit nandito si Attorney Hinlo, si Attorney Bondoc, si Doctor Mata? Kasi para sa akin at alam kong totoo, nanalo sila sa eleksyon nung nakaraan,” Duterte said.
She further alleged that results from overseas and local absentee voting—where the PDP candidates reportedly performed well—should have mirrored the overall vote count. Citing her own 2022 vice-presidential run, she said absentee and OFW ballots were early indicators of her victory. “Ganoon ang nangyari sa kanila. Panalo sila sa OFW vote, sa absentee voting,” she said.
Duterte claimed that information technology experts raised concerns with her about the credibility of the final results. “Kausap ko IT experts na nagsasabi hindi talaga pwede na totoo yung mga numero na lumabas,” she stated, although no formal evidence has been publicly presented.
She also called on PDP to formally challenge the vote count. “Hindi ako IT expert, kaya sinabihan ko ang PDP. Sabi ko, kayo ang partido, kwestyunin niyo kung paano ginawa ang proseso ng bilangan.”
Following the May 12 elections, seven losing PDP-Laban candidates called for a manual recount and an inquiry into alleged election anomalies. However, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified that a manual recount can only be initiated through an official electoral protest.
Only three PDP-Laban candidates were proclaimed winners: Christopher “Bong” Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Rodante Marcoleta, placing first, third, and sixth respectively.
