Senator Imee Marcos attended the campaign kickoff rally of the administration slate at the jam-packed Centennial Arena here Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 11, despite branding herself as an independent candidate.
Imee Marcos attends Laoag campaign kickoff, completes Alansya 12 on stage
At a glance
Senator Imee Marcos addresses the crowd during the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas campaign kickoff rally in Laoag City (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
LAOAG CITY--She came, she saw, she completed the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial line-up.
Senator Imee Marcos attended the campaign kickoff rally of the administration slate at the jam-packed Centennial Arena here Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 11, despite branding herself as an independent candidate.
Dressed in a red jumpsuit, the presidential sister waltzed onto the stage seventh out of the 12-person slate. She looked comfortable and happy to be here.
Her fellow Alyansa bets are Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III; former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos; former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao; Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar; and House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo.
Out of the 12, Senator Marcos was among those who drew the loudest applause; after all, she hailed from these parts--the stronghold of the First Family.
There had been uncertainty over the lady senator's participation in Alyansa campaign sorties, with pundits pointing to her closeness with administration critic, the impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.
Others have cited her somewhat estranged relationship with her younger brother, President Marcos, whom she hasn't spared from criticism regarding his policies.
But her appearance on stage Tuesday apparently shows that all is well between Senator Marcos and Alyansa.
Other Alyansa "senatoriables" showed respect and deference toward Senator Marcos even when she wasn't around.
When asked about his chances with Ilocano voters, Lacson told a press conference earlier Tuesday: "Hindi ko naman pong hinihiling mag-No.1. Payag kaming mag-No. 1 si Manang Imee kung pwede kaming lahat No.2. Salamat po."
(I'm not asking to be No.1. We want Manang Imee to be No.1, while the rest of us, if possible, would allow be No.2. Thank you.)
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (3rd from right) raises the hand of his older sister, Senator Imee Marcos (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Alyansa campaign manager Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco said over the weekend that the presidential sister would never be removed from the administration slate under any situation.
Senator Marcos had reportedly been invited to join the campaign kickoff rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) opposition slate on Feb. 13 at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.
We're not quarrelling
Addressing the crowd estimated to be between 7,000 and 8,000, Senator said, "Miss na miss ko na kayo (I miss all of you very much)," before proceeding to talk almost entirely in Ilocano.
After having her faulty microphone replaced by Pacquiao, the lady solon went straight addressing the elephant in the arena.
"No, me and my younger brother aren't quarrelling," she said in Ilocano. Senator Marcos said hearing such statements "hurt her".
"I'm a Marcos, and our President is Marcos," she added, triggering huge applause from her kakailian (northern brethren).
Senator Marcos went on to enumerate the accomplishments of her later father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., as president; and her mother, Imelda Marcos, as former First Lady. She specifically highlighted the many roadworks, bridges, and specialty hospitals that were built during the country's first Marcos era.
She again roused the crowd when she declared, "The solid north is real apo. Sementado! (It's cemented!)"
She said that she was the only member of the Alyansa slate that was Ilocano.