Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday, April 15 rejected Ramil Madriaga’s allegations of a supposed “term-sharing” deal between Vice President Sara Duterte and her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“Sinungaling ka (You’re a liar), Madriaga,” Marcos said during a press conference at the Senate. 

“There’s no such thing as a term sharing (deal),” she said.

Marcos said that as one of those who knows the behind the scenes during the formation of the Uniteam family, she has the responsibility to deny and correct Madriaga’s account.

She also urged her brother to speak up to set the record straight.

“Bongbong, President Marcos, andun ka, magkakasama tayo. Kung hindi mo ito ipinag uutos, walang dahilan para hindi mo itama ang kasinungalingang ito. Huwag mong kunsintihin ang mga pulitikong ginagamit ang sinungaling na si Madriaga (You were there, we were together during the talks. If you didn’t order this, there’s no reason why you can’t correct these lies. Don’t enable these politicians who are using this liar who is Madriaga),” she said.

During the press briefing, the senator emphasized that her camp had even pushed for Duterte to run for president rather than settle for the vice presidency.

“Bakit pa siya makikishare (Why would she still agree to share terms?),” she pointed out.

Sen. Marcos also denied Madriaga’s claims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s involvement in the supposed “term-sharing” deal.

“Walang kinalaman si PRRD, kasinungalingan iyan (Duterte’s initials) had nothing to do with it…that is a lie,” she said.

Marcos also said she will not consent to any of her brother’s whims, and will also not stay silent.

“Hindi ko hahayaang mailibing ang ating bayan sa kasinungalingan (I will not allow our country to be buried in lies),” she insisted.

Madriaga, the alleged bagman of the vice president, said Tuesday that former president Duterte, his daughter Sara, and their allies planned to have Marcos Jr. step down by 2025 to give way to her.

In his sworn supplemental affidavit read before the House Committee on Justice, Madriaga said the supposed agreement was relayed to him by the former president ahead of the 2022 national elections.

“Sometime in November 2021, PRRD mentioned to me that Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. will run for president while Sara will serve as his running mate. PRRD added that a few months ago, BBM (Marcos’ initials) and Sen. Imee Marcos visited him to discuss a possible alliance in the 2022 national elections. During this meeting, BBBM was able to convince PRRD to have Sara as vice president. However, they also agreed that by 2025, BBM will voluntarily step down to give way for a Sara presidency,” Madriaga said in his testimony.

According to Madriaga, the objective of the term-sharing agreement was to allow Sara Duterte to assume presidency early while remaining eligible to run in 2028. He also said that after Sara took her oath as vice president, PRRD had a discussion with retired generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), to discuss all possible scenarios for unseating Marcos Jr. by 2025 in the event he reneges on his promise.