A man decorates a billboard of President Duterte together with his sons Paolo and Baste at the San Pedro Square in Davao City on June 19, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- "It’s a free country."

This is what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday on the potential Senate run for three members of the Duterte family.

Vice President Sara Duterte said Tuesday her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and her brothers Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte would all run for Senate seats in the 2025 elections.

"They’re allowed to do whatever they want. I really have no reaction to it. Besides, it’s still early," Marcos said.

He said political plans and alliances would only "become clear" when candidacies are filed in October.  

"So all of these announcements, tingnan natin kung matutuloy pagdating ng  Oktubre," the President said.

Marcos added that the resignation of the Vice President from his Cabinet does not change anything for the Uniteam  

“You have to remember, the PDP was never a part of the Uniteam. PDP was never part of Uniteam kahit na nung election, so it does not change anyting for the Uniteam,” he said.

“Depende lang kung ano position ni Inday Sara pagdating sa election, siya ba ay nasa administrasyon o siya ba ay nasa oposisyon? That will be the only major determinant. But as the parties involved, pareho pa rin ang Uniteam, hindi pa nagbago,” he said.

'FAMILY AFFAIR'

Meanwhile, a Catholic bishop and critic of former President Duterte's war on drugs cautioned voters against being easily swayed by the his family’s remarks

“Huwag muna nating pansinin yung mga ganyang klaseng announcement, kasi baka pinapain lang tayo. Ganun naman palagi ang mga Duterte eh. Magbibigay ng announcement, babawiin, may announcement, babawiin. So, baka pinapainan lang tayo,” said Bishop Broderick Pabillo, former Auxiliary Bishop of Manila who now serves as the Vicar Apostolic of Taytay, Palawan. 

Even those who are eyeing a Senate seat next year also shrugged off pronouncements about the Duterte family's plans.

“Hintayin nalang natin yung filing dahil tulad sa maraming pagkakataon sa nakaraan pabago-bago at paiba-iba ang mga salita nila sa usapin ng mga plano sa eleksyon,” said former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who is a Liberal Party official.

(Let’s wait for the filing. Because just like in the past, they give varying statements about elections)

Former senator Panfilo Lacson also prefers to just wait for the Oct. 1 to 8 filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC),. 

“I don’t think there is any firm decision made by any of the three Dutertes. As for me, whether or not all the Dutertes,  Tulfos and Villars of the world decide to run in 2025, my decision, if it comes to that - is my own and mine alone as in all the past elections that I had participated in,” said Lacson, who is being wooed by different sectors to return to the Senate.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, who belongs to the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), said any qualified Filipino could seek public office.

But he added, “Huwag naman sana nating gawing family reunion o negosyo ang pagtakbo sa gobyerno.” 

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro denounced the plan of the Duterte family for three of its members to gun for Senate seats next year. 

“Hindi naman family affair ito. At hindi naman family enterprise ang Senado. It is a commitment. Ano ba ang maio-offer nila sa taumbayan? Tingnan na lang natin ‘yung mga track record ng mga Duterte,” she said.

She said the Makabayan coalition was preparing a full Senate slate for the 2025 midterm elections. She said they were open to forming alliances with parties that share the same principles.

Former Senate President and Nationalist Peoples Coalition Chairman Vicente Sottto III rejected the proposal for an anti-Duterte unity ticket for Halalan 2025.

"We should not bother our thinking for the country with focusing on just a certain group or family," Sotto told ABS-CBN News in reaction to former Senator Antonio Trillanes' proposal.

Asked if it would affect NPC's decision to ally with the administration Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Sotto answered in the negative but he stressed they would not form a ticket targeting specific personalities.

"No, I don’t think so. We will never be an anti-whoever ticket. We will form a ticket that will be good for the country," Sotto added.