Former Senator Panfilo Lacson is taking the recent announcement of Vice President Sara Duterte regarding the political plans of her family with a grain of salt because “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
He was referring to reports quoting the Duterte daughter as saying that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as siblings Paolo and Sebastian all plan to participate in the 2025 Senate race.
“I don’t think there is any firm decision made by any of the three Dutertes,” Lacson said.
Speaking as a seasoned politician, Lacson said he believes the vice president is using a political strategy straight out of her father’s playbook, dropping random soundbites to keep themselves in the headlines and their opponents guessing.
The Duterte patriarch was known to make absurd statements left and right during his prime. This enabled him to stir up political conversations, thus creating awareness while feeling the pulse of the electorate.
That said, Lacson noted that having three Dutertes in the Senate next year remains within the realm of possibility. The same can be said of the other seasoned and emerging political clans such as the Villars, Tulfos, Cayetanos, and Ejercito-Estradas.
“Senate 2025: 3 Duterte’s, 3 Tulfo’s, 2 Villar’s, 2 Cayetano’s, 2 Ejercito-Estrada’s, and the list goes on… because it is what it is – by the people, for the people, of the people (sic),” the former senator posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday.
ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo and media personality Ben Tulfo are reportedly seeking senatorial seats next year, joining their brother Senator Raffy Tulfo.
Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar will switch positions with her mother, outgoing Senator Cynthia Villar, who will move to local politics. The Villar daughter is expected to team up with her brother Senator Mark Villar in the upper chamber.
At present, the Senate has two pairs of siblings: Senators Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano, and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and his half-brother Joseph Victor Ejercito.
