Sandro Marcos, the House Majority Leader, recently revealed that the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte sought major government positions as part of their conditions for endorsing his father, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in the 2022 presidential elections.
In an interview with PRTV, Sandro recounted an encounter at Malacañang during the campaign, where he and his father were summoned under the pretense of receiving an endorsement. Instead, they faced three representatives from Duterte’s camp who outlined their demands.
Sandro recalled, "They essentially asked us, ‘What’s your plan? What can you do for us?'" He emphasized that the discussions revolved around their desire to control key appointments, including the executive secretary, House speaker, and Senate president.
‘Fine, we’ll support you on the condition that we get to choose the executive secretary, we get to choose the House speaker, we get to choose the Senate president...’ They demanded a lot of things.
Sandro Marcos, House Majority Leader
Despite these negotiations, Duterte never officially endorsed Marcos Jr. and even criticized him publicly, labeling him a 'weak leader' as he backed his aide, Bong Go, for the presidency. The political partnership, initially viewed as strong, began to show signs of strain shortly after Marcos Jr. took office.
Shifting Political Alliances and Tensions
The alliance between the Marcos and Duterte camps began fracturing early in Marcos Jr.'s presidency. Tensions escalated after Vice President Sara Duterte was denied the defense portfolio she sought, leading to her eventual resignation from the administration in 2024.
Sandro reflected on these developments, suggesting that the complex interplay of various political factions contributed to the inevitable fallout. He stated, "Part of me kind of saw it coming, not because of any one person, but because there were so many different parties around them... It was a power struggle."
The ongoing political drama exemplifies the challenges of navigating alliances in Philippine politics, a landscape marked by family dynasties and shifting loyalties.