BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed uncertainty regarding former Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s comments about his removal from office due to not following the “powers that be.”
Marcos’s Response
In a statement to the Philippine media, Marcos said he was unsure what Zubiri was referencing. “I guess if you are Senate President, the only power that be is the President. So, I am not sure what he is referring to, if there is a specific instance or just as a general principle. I don’t know, I have not spoken to him about it,” Marcos said.
Marcos noted that during his last conversation with Zubiri, they discussed procurement issues, and the topic of following instructions did not come up. “It’s hard for me to answer simply because I am not sure what he’s referring to because what instructions could that be that hindi niya natapos [he didn’t finish]. Yes, that’s still unclear to me what he’s referring to,” he added.
Efforts to Replace Zubiri
Marcos acknowledged awareness of efforts to replace Zubiri but emphasized he had no involvement. “When did I know? The minute they started… actually, it was Senator Chiz (Escudero), the minute he started thinking about it, he brought it up, I think I’m going to try to lead the SP (Senate President)…” Marcos recalled. He clarified that he did not engage with any parties regarding the leadership change because he was out of town at the time.
Marcos reiterated that the decision to change the Senate leadership was made internally by the Senate and not by him. “That was made by the Senate,” Marcos said.
Zubiri’s Valedictory Speech
In his valedictory speech, Zubiri suggested his ouster was due to his refusal to follow certain directives. “I have never dictated my position to any of you, and I always supported your independence—which is probably why I face my demise today. I failed to follow instructions from the powers that be,” Zubiri stated.
Zubiri was replaced by Senator Francis Escudero on May 20, 2024, after Escudero secured support from 14 other senators, including prominent figures such as Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Bong Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, and Mark Villar.