Imee Marcos: VP Sara is my best friend
(UPDATE) SEN. Imee Marcos said she considers Vice President Sara Duterte her best friend despite her scathing criticism of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., over his ability to govern. The senator also said that as an independent candidate in the 2025 local polls she would seek the support of everyone for her reelection bid, even the Duterte family, which has had a falling out with the President. In an interview for PrimeTimes with Attorney Lia, Marcos was asked how she felt about Duterte's earlier remarks that she imagined beheading her brother and threatened to exhume the remains of their father. "I've heard some of it before. That's why I said I would no longer enter into [political] alliances," Marcos said in Filipino and Engish. In a press conference that turned into a two-hour rant, Duterte said her relationship with the President had turned "toxic." Duterte said she warned Senator Marcos that "if they would not stop [persecuting her]" she would dig up the remains of their father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw them into the West Philippine Sea. "I knew that it's going to come to this. I knew that this was gonna get ugly this soon. And here we are," Senator Marcos said. Marcos added, "That's why I said, 'I'm out of it.' I don't like disputes. [Duterte] is my best friend. I love [her] and my brother very much." "There would be mudslinging. I don't want to be involved in that. I just wanted to work," she said. Asked whether she would seek support from the vice president during the campaign period, Marcos said, "Well, they have control over Davao [Region]. So, in Mindanao there was overwhelming support for the Dutertes." "Am I seeking support [from the Dutertes]? I'm seeking support from everyone. I mean, naturally as a reelectionist, politics is always addition. So I'm hopeful that I'll get as much support as I can, as many allies as I can," she said. "And that's also the reason for my so-called independent [political stance] so that I'm able to cross the line, because it's becoming very ugly and nasty. It'll get worse because it's election [next year]." "I think I have this very heavy, revered inherited legacy of my parents. I ended up in public service. But my brother would have been just doing something creative," she said. Senate President Francis Escudero has expressed disappointment over Duterte's statement against President Marcos and his family, saying her conduct was "unbecoming" of the second highest official of the land. In a statement on Oct. 19, Escudero said Duterte's "acerbic comments against the first family and certain government personalities during a press conference broadcast live on multiple platforms have portrayed her in a bad light." Escudero, however, is hopeful that the two highest leaders of the country will reconcile soon.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) SEN. Imee Marcos said she considers Vice President Sara Duterte her best friend despite her scathing criticism of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., over his ability to govern.
The senator also said that as an independent candidate in the 2025 local polls she would seek the support of everyone for her reelection bid, even the Duterte family, which has had a falling out with the President.
In an interview for PrimeTimes with Attorney Lia, Marcos was asked how she felt about Duterte's earlier remarks that she imagined beheading her brother and threatened to exhume the remains of their father.
"I've heard some of it before. That's why I said I would no longer enter into [political] alliances," Marcos said in Filipino and Engish.
In a press conference that turned into a two-hour rant, Duterte said her relationship with the President had turned "toxic."
Duterte said she warned Senator Marcos that "if they would not stop [persecuting her]" she would dig up the remains of their father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw them into the West Philippine Sea.
"I knew that it's going to come to this. I knew that this was gonna get ugly this soon. And here we are," Senator Marcos said.
Marcos added, "That's why I said, 'I'm out of it.' I don't like disputes. [Duterte] is my best friend. I love [her] and my brother very much."
"There would be mudslinging. I don't want to be involved in that. I just wanted to work," she said.
Asked whether she would seek support from the vice president during the campaign period, Marcos said, "Well, they have control over Davao [Region]. So, in Mindanao there was overwhelming support for the Dutertes."
"Am I seeking support [from the Dutertes]? I'm seeking support from everyone. I mean, naturally as a reelectionist, politics is always addition. So I'm hopeful that I'll get as much support as I can, as many allies as I can," she said.
"And that's also the reason for my so-called independent [political stance] so that I'm able to cross the line, because it's becoming very ugly and nasty. It'll get worse because it's election [next year]."
"I think I have this very heavy, revered inherited legacy of my parents. I ended up in public service. But my brother would have been just doing something creative," she said.
Senate President Francis Escudero has expressed disappointment over Duterte's statement against President Marcos and his family, saying her conduct was "unbecoming" of the second highest official of the land.
In a statement on Oct. 19, Escudero said Duterte's "acerbic comments against the first family and certain government personalities during a press conference broadcast live on multiple platforms have portrayed her in a bad light."
Escudero, however, is hopeful that the two highest leaders of the country will reconcile soon.
