Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has declined to comment on whether fellow senator Imee Marcos is using her Senate position for personal political interests. Speaking on Friday, Cayetano said it would be “unparliamentary” to assume or judge a colleague’s motives.
“It’s not right to accuse someone of acting out of personal gain—it’s all about motive, and that’s for the public to judge,” he explained.
Cayetano’s remarks follow Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s criticism of Marcos, who had expressed frustration over Escudero’s refusal to sign a contempt order against Ambassador Markus Lacanilao. The ambassador is under scrutiny for allegedly lying during a Senate hearing on the arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Escudero said Marcos should avoid using the Senate as a platform for her political goals. In response, he later issued a show cause order to Lacanilao to justify why he shouldn’t be cited for contempt.
Marcos, who is seeking reelection, hasn’t joined the campaign activities of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas—the slate endorsed by her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Cayetano also backed retired Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna’s view that Duterte’s surrender to the ICC was questionable under Philippine law, which requires a treaty to make such a transfer lawful.
Despite legal debates, Duterte remains detained at the Hague-based ICC facility, facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to his war on drugs.