“It’s a free country. They’re allowed to do whatever they want.”
This was President Marcos’ reaction to pronouncements that former President Rodrigo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte will run for senator in the 2025 midterm polls.
“I really don’t have much of a reaction to it except that it’s still early,” Mr. Marcos said.
“And the only real situation will become clear in October, during the filing. That’s when we’ll truly see if they’re really running, who’s really running, who’s joining them, which parties are involved, which parties are in alliance. We’ll only see that in October, so let’s see if all these announcements will push through when October comes,” he added.
Addressing the political positioning of the PDP-Laban and its potential implications for the administration’s coalition, Mr. Marcos pointed out the Duterte party was never a part of the Uniteam coalition during the 2022 elections.
“The PDP was never a part of the Uniteam even during the election, so it does not change anything for the Uniteam,” the President said.
Senator Robin Padilla, meanwhile, said it is “very good news” that the former president and two of his sons will run for senator in 2025.
Padilla, acting president of the PDP-Laban party, said he would have three more allies in the Senate, in addition to Senators Christopher Go, Ronald dela Rosa, and Francis Tolentino.