A pro-administration lawmaker is curious about the real score behind impeached Vice President Sara Duterte's endorsements of re-electionist senator Imee Marcos and Las Piñas City lone Rep. Camille Villar in the upcoming Senate race.

"Sinong lumapit? Lumapit ba yung Vice President o ang mga kandidato ang lumapit sa Vice President? 'Yun ang una kong gustong malaman (Who sought the help of who? Was it the Vice President or the candidates? That's what I want to know)," La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega told reporters on Monday, April 21. 

Ortega seemed to be mystified as to what prompted the endorsement of the two senatoriables. As to whether or not Duterte's expression of support would raise their chances of winning in the polls, the solon said he would just wait and see.

This developed as Marcos and Villar continued to be in the outskirts of the so-called "Magic 12" based on pre-election surveys.

"'Pag nandoon sila sa striking distance, 'di po talaga natin masasabi. Depende po sa resulta yan, kasi nga yung surveys, may ano yan eh, yung number n'yan hindi pa ganoon kalaki... Para sakin yung [Top] 9-14, 9-17 baka magkaroon po ng changes banda don sa mga ranking na 'yun (We really cannot predict their standing, especially those within striking distance. That will really depend on the election results. The numbers in the surveys are not really that big. For me, there might still be changes among the Top 9 to 17)," he said.

Ortega said he will still support all the senatorial candidates endorsed by the Marcos administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition, although Villar has also gained the backing of the opposition.

"Ako naman nag-pledge kami na susuporta kami doon sa Alyansa... 'Yung oath nga po namin, nandoon po, na kailangan namin suportahan yung mga kandidato ng aming partido (We already made a pledge to support Alyansa. We are under oath to support the candidates that our party is endorsing)," he said in an interview.

"Kung ano po ang ng i-endorse namin ng Alyansa, 'yun po ang aming susuportahan (So we will support whoever they endorse)," he added.